Difficult for govt to take action against insurgent groups across Indo-Bangladesh border

Indian insurgent groups are living across the Indo-Bangladesh border but it is difficult for the government to take any action as they shift base very frequently, a senior BSF official said Tuesday.

BSF Meghalaya Frontier Inspector General I Mohanti told PTI that it does not mean the Bangladeshi government is harbouring these groups.

Mohanti said it is practically "very difficult" to seal the border. Meghalaya has a 443 km-long international border with Bangladesh and according to the BSF official over 110 km is still unfenced due to land acquisition issues.

"Indian insurgent groups are living just across Indo-Bangladesh border in makeshift camps in villages and identifying them is difficult because they belong to same ethnic groups," Mohanti told PTI.

"Some of them (insurgents) have got married. Some stay in makeshift camps and by the time the Bangladesh authorities act upon the information we share with them, they shift base," he said.

The BSF FIG said that groups such as the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) get the support of criminal groups in Bangladesh and the two sides depend on each other for survival.

It is in the interest of the government there in the run up to the general elections, they would not like these criminals to create any nuisance, he said.

The BSF officer said the Bangladesh government does not want arms, explosives or illegal money to get into the country before the elections.