Illegal migration from Bangladesh is on slide: BSF DG

Border Security Force (BSF) today said illegal migration from Bangladesh has come down as close to 75 per cent of border area has been fenced till now.

The chief of the paramilitary, Subhash Joshi, also said the force will be extra vigilant to meet any challenge that may emerge along this border when the neighbouring country goes to polls in January next year.

"Illegal migration has come down (from Bangladesh). I think one reason is that we have fenced about 75 per cent of the border area...There cannot be a fool-proof border but surely instances of illegal crossings have come down," Joshi told repoters here.

The BSF Director General was interacting with journalists during his annual press conference on the occasion of the forces' 48th Raising Day on December 1.

"There are polls in Bangladesh next year...We are prepared in terms of any security-related challenges that may occur along the frontier," he said when asked about the preparations of the border guarding force in this context.

Joshi said the remaining fencing work along this 4,096-km border is being done as there are some "terrain-releated problems."

He also said the force has been recently entrusted with a new responsibility of guarding the 1,640-km long Indo-Myanmar border which at present is guarded by the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force manned entirely by the Army.