Border forces join hands to prevent crime

SHILLONG: The Border Co-ordination meeting between Inspector Generals of BSF Meghalaya, Guwahati, Silchar, Tripura frontier and Region Commanders, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) concluded here in the city on Saturday.
The agenda discussed during the meeting mainly focused on common concerns of both the Border Guarding Forces like movement of insurgent, human trafficking, drugs, gold, fake currency, arms smuggling which need greater cooperation, understanding and synergy to make the life of border population secure.
BSF emphasised mainly on the attacks/assaults on BSF personnel and Unarmed Indian Civilians and other provocative action by Bangladeshi criminals, Joint efforts for prevention of smuggling of FICN and illegal migration by Bangladeshi nationals.
Security related issues particularly presence of Indian insurgents like GNLA, ULFA, HNLC, NDFB, NLFT in Bangladesh territory besides trans-border crimes like smuggling of forest produce, cattle smuggling, and others, committed by Bangladeshi criminals inside Indian Territory was also discussed in the conference.
The BSF also provided facts and figures of all trans-border crimes committed by Bangladeshi nationals inside the Indian Territory, apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals, who illegally enter into Indian Territory, seizure details regarding narcotic and other contrabands items.
IG BSF has also requested Region Commander BGB to take effective measures to stop illegal migration of Bangladeshi national, prevention of trans-border crimes and take stringent action against IIGs, who still camps in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, the BGB delegation emphasised upon the firing on Bangladeshi nationals by Indian nationals, apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals, illegal trespassing by Indian nationals into Bangladesh territory, smuggling of various types of drugs including phensedyl, wine, yaba and others from India to Bangladesh. The BSF mentioned that they along with Indian nationals are exercising maximum restraint and resort to firing as a last option in the self defence only.
It was also mentioned that Border Security Force personnel are now using the non-lethal weapons like pump-action guns and stun grenades along the Indo-Bangla border, which has resulted in considerable change in border area. Both the Border Guarding Forces agreed to look into each others’ perspective on border problems with an open mind. Both the sides have agreed to increase sharing of actionable intelligence to curb trans-border crimes.