Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said that the BGB is on alert at the border. India has been forced to stop construction of barbed wire fence on the border due to the strong stance of BGB and local residents.
The advisor said these things at a press briefing held at the conference room of the Home Ministry at the Secretariat in the capital on Sunday (January 12, 2025) morning.
The advisor said that India has recently started construction of barbed wire fence at five places on the border. India has been forced to stop work at those places due to the strong stance of BGB and local people. He thanked the residents of the border districts for joining hands with the BGB to protest the construction of fence on the border.
Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said that the BGB is in contact with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to deal with the emerging situation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been informed about this. They will take immediate diplomatic action in this regard. He said that it has been decided to issue a letter to cancel the unequal agreements on border fencing made during the previous government. The advisor also said that there will be a meeting at the DG level between BGB and BSF next month (February).
The advisor said that there are a total of 04 agreements signed between both countries at different times regarding the demarcation of the border between Bangladesh and India and the performance of the duties of the border guards of both countries. He further said that according to the Bangladesh-India Joint Border Instructions-1975, there is a clear ban on completing any work with defense capabilities within 150 yards of the zero line of both countries. In addition, there is an obligation for both countries to obtain each other’s consent for completing any development work within 150 yards of the zero line if necessary.
Of the existing 4,156 km. border between Bangladesh and India, 3,271 km. The Indian authorities have installed barbed wire fences at 885 km. and barbed wire fences have not been constructed at 885 km. The advisor said in a press conference.
In response to a question from journalists, the advisor said, “We have a lot of strength on the border. Along with the BGB, the people are also resisting strongly. The matter will be informed to the Indian High Commission through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prevent any untoward incident.”
Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Md. Khoda Bakhas Chowdhury, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam BPM and Director General of BGB Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui were present at the press briefing.
