NEW DELHI, Sept 7 - The border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh today agreed to take strong measures to prevent illegal border crossing and human trafficking.
Both the forces also agreed to aid victims of human trafficking and facilitate their early rescue and rehabilitation as per the law of the land.
What may be of significance for the illegal infiltration-hit northeastern States, particularly Assam, the two forces also agreed that willful violation of the sanctity of the international border would be dealt with according to respective law of the land and inadvertent crossers would be handed over to the concerned border guarding force immediately.
These arrangements were part of the Joint Record of Discussions signed by Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Md Shafeenul Islam and Director General, Border Security Force KK Sharma at the end of the 47th Border Coordination Conference between the two force here this morning.
Appreciating the steps taken by BSF in bringing down casualties on borders, the BGB Director General asked the BSF to bring it down to zero. The BSF Director General, however, stressed that violence on the border could be brought down to zero level only when the criminals and offenders are stopped crossing the international border illegally and persecuted as per law of the land. He pointed out that BSF uses non-lethal weapons on borders with utmost restraint and minimum possible force and even in the face of dangerous assaults by armed criminals. Reiterating the need for joint efforts, both sides agreed to take preventive measures.
On handing over of wanted militants mainly from the northeastern States operating out of the neighbouring country, the BGB DG informed that there is no hideout of any Indian insurgent group inside Bangladesh and clarified that �Bangladesh does not allow its soil to be used by any entities or elements hostile to any country�.
Seeking further cooperation from BGB to eliminate the remnant of any Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh, Sharma also expressed his concern over increase in smuggling of fake Indian currency notes (FICN). He appreciated the efforts of BGB and other security forces of Bangladesh against smuggling of fake Indian currency notes and sought further cooperation in detecting such units in Bangladesh and legal prosecution of defaulters.
The BGB DG replied that the Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies are taking actions against the fake currency note racketeers and that the government has already installed fake currency note detecting machines at all integrated check posts and other places across the country.
Both sides appreciated each other�s efforts to curb the smuggling of FICN into India and smuggling of phensedyl and other psychotropic substances to Bangladesh and pledged to continue the efforts in this regard.
Both sides also expressed their satisfaction in approval of almost all pending developmental works. They lauded the results of crime-free zone which had been introduced in South Bengal Frontier and South West Region and agreed for its further expansion in other frontiers.
Appreciating the efforts made to improve mutual relations through various agreed upon confidence building measures (CBMs), the two sides also agreed for expeditious implementation of the decisions taken in the conference. It was decided that next DG-level conference would be held in Dhaka in March-April 2019.
Talking to newsmen later, the BSF DG said the State of West Bengal is �slightly friendly� to the Rohingyas and has set up special camps for about 70 such families. �We are alive to the situation. We are aware that a large number of Rohingyas are assembled there in Bangladesh and from time-to-time some small groups do try to enter India, but I am very happy to say that we did not let them succeed,� said Sharma.
�That is why there has not been any large-scale influx of Rohingyas into India. The Rohingyas present in the country, in fact, are also under pressure at some places; so they are going to West Bengal, a State which is slightly friendly with them.
�They have set up camps for Rohingyas coming from within the country and not from Bangladesh,� Sharma said.
