IANS
New Delhi
The annual director general-level talks between India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) started yesterday, an official statement said.
The six-day talks will be held in Bangladesh capital Dhaka between December 22 and 27. A 20-member BSF delegation will take part in the talks.
“The bi-annual DG-level talks between BSF chief D K Pathak and BGB head Major General Aziz Ahmed will start from December 22,” the
statement said.
“Issues like trans-border crimes, smuggling of fake Indian currency notes, activities of Indian insurgent groups based in Bangladesh, prevention of illegal migration and trafficking of women and children will be raised in the talks,” the statement said.
The meeting will also deliberate on the co-ordinated border management plan (CBMP) and various confidence
building measures.
The Indian border delegation, including officials from the Union home ministry and other border enforcement agencies, is expected to discuss measures to further enhance security along the border and brief the BGB about measures put in place to completely stop instances of cattle smuggling and other illegal substances across the border.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during BSF’s 50th Raising Day on December 1 in New Delhi, had urged the border guarding force to ensure a total clampdown on cross-border animal smuggling along this 4,096km-long porous and difficult terrain dotted by hilly and riverine areas.
The BGB, sources said, is expected to raise the issue of bringing about a complete halt on border killing incidents and suggest enforcement of some strict security protocols by both the sides to achieve this goal.
“A host of other issues related to activities of Indian insurgent groups suspected to be operating from the other side, smuggling of fake Indian currency, drugs and other banned items will be discussed. Some new measures to enhance operational efficiency between the two sides will also be discussed by the two sides,” they said.
BSF and BGB are also expected to firm up plans for holding the first-ever joint exercise between the two sides in the Sunderbans in West Bengal next month, they said.
The last time the two sides met was in August this year when BGB travelled to India for the talks.