BGB-BSF DG level talks to begin Tuesday

A five-day long Director General (DG)-level conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) will begin in Guwahati on Tuesday (Dec 22).

BGB DG Major General Md Shafeenul Islam will lead a 11-member Bangladesh delegation, including representatives from Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the conference.

On the other hand, BSF DG Rakesh Asthana will lead a 12-member Indian delegation including BSF senior officials, inspector general of different BSF frontiers, representatives from Indian home and foreign ministries.

The meeting is scheduled to discuss some incidents of border fire on unarmed Bangladesh citizens, border killings, drug smuggling and information sharing about drug factories inside India and drug peddlers, smuggling of arms and ammunition, illegal trespass and development work within 150 yards of the border.

The conference agendas also include implementation of river bank conservation work in the border areas, making necessary arrangements for obtaining permission to use the Indian part of the Padma river to facilitate the movement of local people in the areas of Char Mazardia and Char Khanpur on the Rajshahi border and exchange of information on the possible location and activities of armed terrorist and regional separatist groups within the Indian border.

Effective implementation of Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) for quick resolution to border problems paving the way for efficient border management will be tabled at the meeting.

The conference will conclude with the signing of a Joint Record of Discussion (JRD) on Friday (December 25).