A border meeting between the two countries will be held in Delhi, India, from February 17 to February 20. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has completed all preparations related to this. This will be the first official meeting between the two countries since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled after resigning due to a popular uprising on August 5 last year.
On Saturday (February 15), BGB sources confirmed that the Bangladesh delegation will depart for Delhi on the morning of February 17 to attend the border meeting between Bangladesh and India.
Sources also mentioned that the Bangladesh delegation will include representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as one from the Prime Minister’s Office and one from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A total of 12 members are expected to be part of the Bangladesh delegation.
According to sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh has decided to discuss 12 issues at the four-day 55th BGB-BSF border meeting at the Director General (DG) level. All decisions will be made with the utmost priority given to the country’s interests, ensuring the protection of national concerns.
To attend the meeting, a 12-member delegation led by Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddique, Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), will be traveling to India.
Other members of the delegation include: BGB’s Additional Director General (ADG) Md. Sohrab Hossain Bhuiyan, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Md. Jasim Uddin Khan, BGB Sector Commander Muhammad Saiful Islam Chowdhury, Deputy Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office Md. Rezaul Karim, Joint Secretary (Director) of the Land Records and Survey Department Mohammad Abdul Kader Sheikh.
In addition, the delegation will include BGB’s Director (Staff Officer) Masud Parvez Rana, BGB’s Director (Staff Officer) Abdullah Al Mashruki, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md. Monowat Mokarrom, Director of the Joint River Commission Mohammad Abu Sayed, Joint Director of the Prime Minister’s Office Muhammad Zillur Rahman, and BGB DG’s ADC Sakib Hasan.
Earlier, a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs mentioned that the Bangladesh-India bilateral border meeting will cover 12 key issues, including border killings, the construction of barbed wire fences within 150 yards of India’s zero line, smuggling, illegal immigration, human trafficking, and the equitable distribution of river water.
The issues to be discussed are as follows:
- Cessation of border killings by BSF/Indian citizens/Indian criminals and stopping the shooting or injuring of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens at the border.
- Stopping the detention and kidnapping of Bangladeshi citizens by BSF/Indian citizens.
- Prevention of border violations/illegal crossings/immigration by BSF/Indian citizens.
- Preventing smuggling of illegal drugs such as yaba and fencidil, arms, ammunition, and explosives from India to Bangladesh.
- Resolving the issue of unauthorized development activities within 150 yards of the border in India and developmental work on the Bangladesh side that has been hindered by BSF.
- Establishing water treatment plants in four canals that carry waste water from Agartala to Akhaura.
- Equitable distribution of water from the Bangladesh-India border rivers, water extraction, implementation of water agreements, and reopening the Rahimpur canal mouth.
- Prevention of illegal immigration from India into Bangladesh by BSF/Indian citizens/Indian criminals/others violating international borders.
- Boundary demarcation in the disputed Muhuri Char area and installation of border pillars in various areas to establish boundaries.
- Stopping the spread of ‘rumors’ by Indian media and social media regarding Bangladesh’s current situation.
- Effective implementation of the ‘Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP)’ to manage border affairs and solve border-related issues.
- Initiating various measures to increase mutual trust and goodwill.
LND/SAKIB
