BGB, BSF Hold 57th DG-Level Border Conference in New Delhi

The 57th Director General (DG)-level Border Conference between Bangladesh's Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) was held in New Delhi from June 8 to 11, with both sides placing the highest priority on preventing border killings, curbing smuggling, and stopping illegal push-ins.

According to a BGB press release issued on Friday, the 14-member Bangladeshi delegation was led by BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, while the 12-member Indian delegation was headed by BSF Director General Praveen Kumar. The next border conference is scheduled to be held in Dhaka in November.

During the meeting, BGB expressed deep concern over the deaths of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens along the border and urged strict legal action against those responsible. Both sides agreed to increase joint patrols and strengthen cooperation to prevent illegal border crossings and bring border killings down to zero.

BGB also strongly protested incidents involving the forced push-in of Rohingyas and Indian nationals into Bangladesh. The BGB chief stated that only verified Bangladeshi citizens would be accepted through established procedures and emphasized that all forms of push-ins must stop. He noted that while Bangladesh continues to shelter Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds, it does not facilitate their illegal entry into India.

Bangladesh raised concerns over the smuggling of narcotics, firearms, and gold from India into Bangladesh. Highlighting Bangladesh’s “zero tolerance” policy on drugs, BGB proposed regular bilateral meetings on narcotics control. Both countries also agreed to strengthen Coordinated Border Patrols (CBP), enhance information sharing, and intensify efforts to combat cattle smuggling, human trafficking, and counterfeit currency smuggling.

BGB further expressed concern about the presence of Bangladeshi separatist and armed extremist groups in India’s Mizoram state. In response, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that no terrorist or militant groups are allowed to establish bases within their respective territories.

The Bangladeshi side also objected to attempts to construct unauthorized infrastructure within 150 yards of the international border without Bangladesh’s consent. Following discussions, both sides agreed to instruct field-level units to refrain from undertaking any unauthorized construction within this zone. They also emphasized the need for greater cooperation among land survey authorities to expedite the demarcation of riverine border areas.

In addition, Bangladesh urged the swift completion of excavation work on the Rahimpur Canal to ensure the delivery of 153 cusecs of water from the Kushiyara River during the dry season, in accordance with the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding. The two sides also agreed to discuss objections related to 17 urgent riverbank protection projects through the appropriate forum of the Joint Rivers Commission.

The BGB also voiced concern over the spread of misinformation and rumors in the media regarding the internal affairs of both countries. Both delegations agreed to encourage their respective media outlets to refrain from disseminating misleading information and propaganda.

Reaffirming their commitment to maintaining peace and security along the border, BGB and BSF pledged to continue working closely together to address border-related challenges and strengthen bilateral cooperation.