The three-day Inspector General-level Border Coordination Meeting between IGs of BSF Meghalaya, Guwahati, Silchar and Tripura, and Region Commanders, Border Guard Bangladesh concluded on Monday in Shillong, with the two sides agreeing to address the concerns of each other.

The Indian delegation was led by Susanta Kumar Nath, IG, BSF Tripura Frontier, accompanied by IG Meghalaya. The Bangladesh delegation was led by Tanveer Gani Chowdhury Additional Director General, Region Commander, South East Region Chattogram of Border Guard Bangladesh accompanied by Region Commander NE Region Sarail, Sector Commanders of BGB Comilla, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and other BGB delegates, the BSF said in a statement.

The agenda points discussed during the meeting mainly focused on concerns of both the border guarding forces like movement of insurgent/human trafficking, drugs, fake currency, arms smuggling which need greater cooperation, understanding and synergy to make the life of border population secure, the paramilitary said in a statement.

The BSF mainly emphasized on attacks/ assaults on its personnel and unarmed Indian civilians and other provocative actions by Bangladesh criminals. In addition, security -related issues and action against Indian Insurgents groups (IIGs) taking shelter in Bangladesh and trans-border crimes like smuggling of forest agro produce, drugs/narcotics cattle were also raised by the BSF. The BSF further emphasized joint efforts for prevention of smuggling of FICN and illegal migration/infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals and confidence building measures to improve relations between two border guarding forces.

The BSF also provided to BGB with facts and figures like list containing details of hideout camps of IIGs based in Bangladesh, list of Bangladeshi criminals involved in fence breaching, attack/assaults on BSF and Indian nationals, cattle smugglers, FICN racketeers, Bangladeshi traffickers and touts involved in drugs trafficking, human trafficking and sympathizers of Indian insurgents in Bangladesh.

IG, BSF requested Region Commander BGB to take effective measures to stop illegal migration of Bangladeshi nationals, prevention of trans-border crimes and take stringent action  against IIGs whose camps still exist in Bangladesh.

Border Guards Bangladesh delegation mainly emphasized upon firing on Bangladesh nationals by Indian nationals/BSF. Kidnapping/ apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals, Illegal trepassing by Indian nationals into Bangladesh territory and smuggling of various types of drugs/narcotics from India to Bangladesh.

The BSF mentioned that the paramilitary along with Indian nationals are exercising maximum restraint and resort to firing as a last option in self-defence only.

It was also mentioned that Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are now using the non-lethal weapons like pump-action guns along the Indo- Bangla border, which has resulted in considerable change in the environment on the border. Apart from it, various developmental issues along the International Border were also discussed.

“Both the Border Guarding Forces agreed to look into each other’s perspective on border problems with an open mind and to increase sharing of actionable intelligence to curb trans-border crimes and to have a peaceful tranquil atmosphere along the International Border,” it said.

 The next co-ordination conference will be held in Bangladesh.