India, Bangladesh agree for coordinated border management plan

BSF and BGB has agreed to take measures to trans-border crimes like smuggling of drugs, cattle, gold and fake currency as well as human trafficking

India and Bangladesh on Tuesday agreed to an effective implementation of a Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) to prevent cross-border criminal activities and other issues.

The decision was taken during the 43rd Director General-level border dialogue between India and Bangladesh.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) agreed to take measures like additional vigilance in areas vulnerable to trans-border crimes like smuggling of drugs, cattle, gold and fake currency as well as human trafficking.

Both the border guarding forces also agreed to increase coordinated patrols especially during night hours in vulnerable areas, deployment of Quick Reactions teams and educating border populations on the sanctity of the International Border.

A 22-member Bangladeshi delegation led by BGB Director General Major General Aziz Ahmed attended the six-day bi-annual talks here with a 25-member Indian delegation led by BSF chief K K Sharma between September 30 and October 4.

A talks between the BSF and BGB representatives was held on October 3 at the BSF headquarters while the concluding session ended on Tuesday with the signing of a Joint Record of Discussion between the chiefs of the two border guard forces.

The next DG-level talks would be held in Dhaka in Bangladesh in the last week of February 2017.

The BSF chief appreciated BGB's cooperation in taking action against Indian insurgent groups based in Bangladesh.

The BGB chief said that Bangladesh did not allow its soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country.

The BSF said it would hold special course as well as a commando course for BGB personnel as part of Confidence Building Measures.

"Both sides said that all CBMs agreed upon during earlier meetings shall continue. Both sides also agreed for expeditious implementation of the decisions taken in the conference," an official statement said.

Senior officers of the ministries of home and external affairs, law enforcement agencies, National Investigation Agency and other sister agencies participated.