India-Bangladesh Border Talks Set for Next Week, First Since Hasina Government's Exit

India and Bangladesh will hold their bi-annual border talks in Delhi next week, focusing on issues like border fence construction and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi criminals, according to an official statement released on Friday.

The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will take place at the BSF headquarters from February 17 to 20.

This will be the first high-level meeting between the two sides since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August of last year.

The last edition of these bi-annual talks was held in Dhaka in March last year. (Representational Image/File

BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary will lead the Indian delegation, while Maj General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui will head the BGB team.

The BSF stated that the conference aims to address border-related issues and enhance coordination between the border guarding forces of both countries.

Discussions will cover key topics such as preventing attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based criminals, curbing trans-border crimes, construction of a single-row fence, action against Indian Insurgent Groups in Bangladesh, border infrastructure development, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, Confidence Building Measures, and other related matters.

The previous edition of these bi-annual talks took place in Dhaka in March last year.

The India-Bangladesh border stretches 4,096 km across five Indian states: West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km), and Mizoram (318 km). The BSF serves as the primary security and intelligence-gathering agency along this frontier.

Relations between the two nations became strained in December last year when both countries summoned each other's high commissioners. Bangladesh raised concerns with the Indian high commissioner over BSF activities related to border fencing and killings, while India clarified to the acting Bangladeshi high commissioner in Delhi that all protocols were being followed in the fencing work.

During the Budget session, the Indian government informed Parliament that it expects Bangladesh’s cooperation in tackling cross-border crimes, including support for border fencing efforts.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai stated in a written reply to Parliament that 864.482 km of the border remains unfenced, including 174.51 km classified as a "non-feasible" gap.

"Construction of fence is an important measure for securing the border. Fencing helps to ensure a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking," Rai said.

He further stated that challenges in completing the "feasible" stretches of border fencing include land acquisition issues, objections from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), a limited working season, and difficult terrain such as landslides and marshy land.

Last month, the BSF reported that its "strong objection" led to the halt of "illegal" construction by Bangladeshi citizens and their frontier force along the International Border in West Bengal—an activity that has been "increasing" in recent times.

Sources speaking to PTI indicated that the Indian side is likely to highlight a rise in infiltration attempts by Bangladeshi nationals since August last year, particularly those linked to human trafficking and cross-border smuggling.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s interim government recently stated in Dhaka that it plans to push for the removal of certain "uneven agreements" on border issues during the upcoming high-level border talks scheduled for February 17-20.

(This Article was originally published by NDTV)