January 14, 2025
DHAKA – India said it has abided by all protocols and agreements between the governments and border security forces of the two countries with regard to security measures at the border, including barbed wire fencing.
The message was conveyed to Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner to India Nural Islam, who was summoned by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the South Block yesterday afternoon.
The summoning came a day after Bangladesh foreign ministry summoned Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma amid tensions touched off by the recent BSF activities along the shared border.
Nural was accompanied by First Secretary (Political) Alamgir Hossain of the Bangladesh High Commission.
India told Bangladesh that barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences were measures for securing the border, the MEA said in a statement.
“India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking.
“India conveyed its expectation that all earlier understandings will be implemented by Bangladesh and that there will a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes,” the statement said.
Indian envoy Pranay Verma made similar remarks after his meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin on Sunday.
After the meeting, Bangladesh foreign ministry in a statement said the construction of barbed wire fences by the Indian BSF along the Bangladesh-India border “without proper authorisation” undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two nations.
In a separate event at the Secretariat on Sunday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retired) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that tensions arose in five border areas, including Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Lalmonirhat, and the Tin Bigha Corridor due to the BSF’s recent fencing activities.
However, India has been forced to halt its activities thanks to the strong position of the BGB and locals.
Dhaka will push for the cancellation of any “unequal agreements” related to Bangladesh-India borders at a director general-level meeting of the border forces of the two countries scheduled for February, Jahangir Alam said.
He said four border-related Memorandums of Understanding have been signed between the two countries since Bangladesh’s independence, and various issues have risen along the border due to some “unequal agreements” signed during the previous government’s tenure.
The four MoUs are the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement for the disposal of enclaves and disputed lands; the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities 1975; the Land Boundary Agreement Protocol 2011; and the Coordinated Border Management Plan 2011.
The home adviser said that, of those agreements, the 1975 MoU specifies that no defence development activities can take place within 150 yards of the zero line.
Another MoU states that any development activities cannot occur within the 150 yards of the zero line without mutual consent. Any such work will require prior agreement between the two nations, he said.
He said India has already fenced 3,271km of the 4,156km-long border with Bangladesh, leaving approximately 885km unfenced.
Speaking to The Daily Star, international relations analyst Dr Imtiaz Ahmed said as per international law, no structures can be built within the 150 yards of the border. However, it can be done only if there is consent from both countries sharing the border.
“If Bangladesh now feels it will withdraw the consent, it can. This is a political decision.”