India-Bangladesh border security is of paramount importance to India, both from the external and internal security point of view. Five Indian states—West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Assam share the border with Bangladesh.
Border Security Force (BSF) troops guard 495 km of the 4,096 km-long India-Bangladesh border that runs along Assam and some parts of West Bengal. It also includes 1,116 km riverine boundary, between the two countries. A special BSF water wing also keeps vigil along the riverine border areas including Dhubri in Assam, under the command of this frontier of the border force.
With the objective of safeguarding the borders, the 51st round of the 5-day Director General Level Border Coordination Conference between Border Security Force (India) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was organised from 22nd to 26th December, 2020 in Guwahati, Assam, in the backdrop of 50th year of creation of Bangladesh. This is the first time in four decades that the biannual conference is being held outside New Delhi. The objective of the conference was to discuss border-related issues and build coordination between the two border guarding forces. A 12-member BSF delegation was led by Director General Rakesh Asthana and an 11-member Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) delegation was led by Major General Md. Shafeenul Islam to attend the conference.
Major highlights of the meeting include the following.
- The two sides discussed developmental, infrastructure work, and joint efforts for implementation of coordinated border management plan (CBMP) and confidence building measures (CBMs).
- Discussions were held regarding riverbank conservation in border areas of both the countries.
- The two sides agreed to share ‘real-time information’ through formal or informal channels in respect to issues like human trafficking, smuggling of narcotics, fake Indian currency notes, cattle, arms, ammunition, explosives, information regarding anti-social elements, activities of IIGs (Indian Insurgent Groups), and breach or damage of border fence.
- A decision was taken to construct single row fence in priority patches, enhance vigilance, and take more coordinated actions to check fence breach cases.
- BSF and BGB agreed to intensify joint night vigil to prevent smuggling and other activities.
- It was mutually agreed to make all possible efforts to ensure peace along the borders.
- The conference concluded with the signing of a Joint Record Discussion (JRD) by both sides.
The meeting bears significance in view of China’saggressive expansionism and Nepal’s growing proximity to China. Military aggression of China and Pakistan as well as Covid-19 Pandemic have compelled India to seek new friends and guard its borders.
History of India-Bangladesh Border Meetings
An Indian delegation under the leadership of former BSF DG Ashwani Kumar and a Bangladesh delegation headed by former DG BDR (now BGB) Major General Quazi Golam met in Kolkata on December 2, 1975 for the first time to discuss mutual border problems.
Since 1975, the meetings between the DGs of BSF and BGB were held annually, alternatively in India and Bangladesh till 1992. Considering the strategic importance of the Bangladesh border, a Home Secretary level meeting was held in Dhaka from October 7–9, 1993 between the two countries in which it was agreed that the DG level meetings will be a bi-annual event. It was also emphasised that problems in the areas of mutual interest and concerns could be progressively resolved through close contacts and continuing meaningful dialogue at various levels. Accordingly, the DGs of BSF and BGB have been holding BCC (Border Coordination Conference) twice a year alternatively at Delhi and Dhaka and the joint record of discussions of these meetings are forwarded to the home ministries of the two countries. The last BSF-BGB meeting was held from September 16–19, 2020 in Dhaka. On September 29, 2020 India and Bangladesh held the 6th joint consultative commission (JCC) meet through a virtual platform.