Oct 12, 2010

Indo Bangladesh Border Forces Conference

The Director General-level five-day border conference between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) was held at BDR's Pilakhna Headquarters during the month. The atmosphere was set with the BDR pushing across a group of 19 United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) cadres allegedly apprehended in the country. Thus the focus of the discussions between the 22-member BDR delegation, led by Director General Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, and a 20-member BSF delegation, led by Director General Raman Srivastava remained on preventing killings and injuries in cross border firing, tackling illegal infiltration, and narcotics smuggling.

Given the large number of issues involved in border management between the Indian and the Bangladesh forces the annual conference is seen as one of the key mechanisms to review progress from time to time. Bangladesh is concerned about alleged deaths of many ‘civilians’ by the Border Security Force along the frontiers, while the Indian side is worried about the large number of crossings that are taking place from time to time. Some of the measures being taken include ban on border movement at night and possible use of non lethal weapons. The Bangladesh side is also worried about the Phensedyl factories located on the other side of the border.

The most contentious issue between the BSF and the BDR is killing of the personnel on the border while the BSF has been claiming that those killed in the border areas were criminals with 50 percent of the victims of border killings Indian nationals and the BSF troops opened fires only under extreme circumstances, the basic issue of resolving the long standing border demarcation would need some consideration and should receive attention. The option of non lethal weapons was is also explored during the Conference however some of the smuggler gangs particularly those that take cattle from India to Bangladesh are well armed and equipped under the circumstances the BSF may find it at a disadvantage. Therefore facilitating a boundary demarcation may be the option in the days ahead as a long term solution.

OCT 2010