NEW DELHI, Dec 20 - The issue of illegal infiltration through the porous India-Bangladesh border is likely to figure in the director general-level talks between the border guarding forces of the two countries which will be held in Guwahati from December 22 to 26.
The Border Security Force (BSF) delegation will be led by BSF Director General Rakesh Asthana, while the Border Guards Bangladesh delegation will be headed by BGB Director General Major General Md Shafeenul Islam.
The aim of the talks is to discuss border-related issues, and to enable better coordination between the two border guarding forces, official sources said.
The conference will focus on addressing and streamlining mechanisms on how to jointly curb various trans-border crimes and timely sharing of information between both the border guarding forces. There will also be deliberation on development and infrastructure works, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan and confidence building measures.
In the last meeting of the two border guarding forces, several issues pertaining to the Northeast figured with the two sides agreeing to share real time information on illegal activities along the international border with each other expeditiously through formal and informal channels.
The two border guarding forces also agreed to share information on smuggling of drugs and narcotics, fake Indian currency notes, cattle, arms, ammunition and explosives, besides human trafficking. The two forces also agreed to share information related to antisocial elements, activities of Indian insurgent groups, breaching of fence following commonly agreed specific formats for the exchange of all such vital information.
Bangladesh had claimed that a lot of mentally deranged persons cross over to Bangladesh from India. The BSF DG suggested that a standard operating procedure (SOP) could be drawn up early in mutual consultation to address this humane issue. Both sides had also agreed to look after the humanitarian aspects of the victim first and then verify the nationality of these mentally challenged persons.
The BSF DG stated that death or apprehension of criminals on the border is irrespective of nationalities. He said BSF personnel fire with non-lethal weapon only in self-defence when they are surrounded by miscreants armed with machete and sticks, and their lives are endangered.
Asthana had said that the death incidents in the border areas will be �made to reduce significantly� in near future. Reiterating the need for joint efforts to uphold human rights and curb violence on the border, both sides agreed to take extra precautionary measures along the border.
The last BSF-BGB border coordination conference was held from September 16-19, 2020 in Dhaka.
