Mediaboss Marketing

While illegal immigration from Bangladesh continues to remain a political issue in India, Bangladesh has told Delhi that its economy is growing steadily and there is no need for its citizens to go to India to earn a living. It has instead asked India to bring casualty of its citizens on the border to zero and curb smuggling of arms and ammunition from India to Bangladesh.

The issues were discussed during the three-day DG level talks between Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) that ended on Thursday in Dhaka. Interestingly, the issue of cattle smuggling was not even discussed during the meet which, sources said, was a result of considerable control over the menace due to joint efforts of the forces of the two countries.

The 52nd Director General level coordination conference focused on curbing trans-border crimes and taking all necessary measures to ensure peace and tranquility along the border, while building upon the mutual trust and harmony among both Border guarding forces and countries. both sides appreciated each others concerns and committed to settling different border issues amicably through continued, constructive and positive engagements at all levels, the BSF said in a statement.

The BSF delegation was led by DG Pankaj Singh while the BGB delegation was led by Major General Shakil Ahmed.

BSF sources said that during the discussions Singh expressed his concern regarding illegal immigration, human trafficking and numerous border violations by Bangladeshi nationals. He informed the gathering that BSF had raised 15 anti-human trafficking units recently to combat illegal immigration.

In response, DG BGB Ahmed stated that Bangladesh was enjoying a steady economic growth and thus illegal migration to India was only a remote possibility. He, in fact, expressed concern over increasing arrest of Bangladeshi nationals by BSF and asked it to bring down killings of Bangladeshi nationals on the border to zero since both countries were friends.

DG BSF, in response, told Ahmed that India does not discriminate between criminals on the basis of nationality.

In 2020-2021, Bangladesh had a per capita income of $ 1,962, which was higher than Indias at $1,935. BSF sources said in the past one and a half years, the force has handed over more than 400 Bangladeshi nationals to authorities of that country.

Sources said DG BGB also spoke about the pressurre of more than one million forcibly displaced Rohingyas and its socio economic consequences on his country even as he pointed to some recent illegal entry of some Rohingyas from India. Sources said both sides agreed to stop this and to crack down on middlemen facilitating this.

DG BGB also raised the issue of smuggling of fire arms, ammunition, explosives from India to Bangladesh, which DG BSF denied saying there were no credible reports of organised smugling of arms.

On cross-border smuggling that leads to attacks on BSF men and some Bangladeshis dying in retaliatory fire, both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down such incidents by coordinated patrols especially post midnight to early morning.

DG level talks between India and Bangladesh are held twice every year once in India and once in Bangladesh.

Both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to curb trans-border crime by adopting extra precautionary measures such as increasing Coordinated Patrols, enhancing vigilance and sincere commitments. Both sides also agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the number of incidents of assault/border crime by intensifying public awareness program, undertaking appropriate socio-economic developmental programs in vulnerable areas, educating border population about the sanctity of IB and preventing criminals/inhabitants from crossing the IB, the BSF statement said.

With regard to trans-border insurgents groups camps, both sides agreed to show zero tolerance towards any such groups/activities and take concurrent action in respective border based on real time information.

Follow this link:
BSF-BGB talks | Economy growing, no need to go to India: Bangla border force chief - The Indian Express