Tone to Differ in Border Talks with India: Home Affairs Adviser|

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh will adopt a different tone in bilateral discussions during the upcoming border conference between the directors general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF), said Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Choudhury.

The statement came during a press briefing at the Secretariat on Wednesday, January 29, following a preparatory inter-ministerial meeting for the 55th BGB-BSF director general-level border conference. The event is scheduled to take place in New Delhi from February 17 to 20.

The adviser highlighted key concerns, including cross-border drug trafficking. “Indian nationals often manufacture narcotics near border areas and smuggle them into Bangladesh. While they claim to produce phensedyl as medicine, it is, in reality, a narcotic substance,” he said.

Choudhury emphasized the importance of mutual consent for activities within 150 yards of the border, such as constructing mosques or temples, and stressed that India must adhere to this protocol.

The agenda for the conference includes addressing border killings, halting the shooting or injuring of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians, and ending the detention of Bangladeshi nationals by BSF or Indian citizens. Discussions will also focus on preventing illegal crossings, encroachments, and smuggling of yaba, phensedyl, weapons, ammunition, and explosives from India into Bangladesh.

Additionally, the talks will cover environmental concerns, such as the establishment of water treatment plants in four canals to address wastewater flowing from Agartala to Akhaura.

The adviser noted that equitable water sharing of border rivers, implementation of water treaties, and reopening the mouth of the Rahimpur canal will also be key topics of discussion.