Alarmed by the presence of Al Qaeda terrorists and Inter-Services Intelligence agents in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force is preparing to deploy more forces along the Indo-Bangla border.

The BSF, which is entrusted with guarding the eastern borders, has decided to post 31 more companies along the Indo-Bangla border immediately, Additional Director General (East), BSF, A K Mitra said in Shillong, Meghalaya, on Friday.

Mitra said the BSF is planning to raise 78 more battalions and a majority of them will be deployed along the eastern borders.

He admitted that the BSF's presence along the Indo-Bangla border is inadequate at present. "We are completely stretched out in this sector," he said.

The BSF will create posts of inspector generals at Silchar in southern Assam and Malda in West Bengal to cope with the increased workload. At the moment IGs are posted at Shillong, and Siliguri and Calcutta in West Bengal.

Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha have charged Dhaka with harbouring militants operating in the Northeast as well as Al Qaeda terrorists and ISI sleuths.

The BSF may face a short-term manpower crisis after the Centre's decision to deploy more battalions along Assam's border with Bhutan. This is to prevent militants of the United Liberation Front of Asom and National Democratic Front of Bodoland from freely moving in and out of India.

The BSF officer said battalions deployed for internal security in the Northeast are being withdrawn in a phased manner so that these forces can be deployed along the international borders.

He said seven BSF battalions in Manipur will be relocated to the Indo-Bangla borders in Assam and Meghalaya.

The BSF official said 99 training camps for militants, some of them set up by outfits of the Northeast, have been traced in Bangladesh. He claimed that the force have even identified the routes used by the militants.