The Director General of Bangladesh's Border Guard (BGB), Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, has denied reports of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, calling them "exaggerated." He cited the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja as evidence and pointed to the security provided by BGB to minority communities. The BGB also raised objections to India's fencing along the border during the bi-annual talks with the BSF.
Trade between India and Bangladesh via land ports came to a standstill on Sunday as there was no movement of cargo trucks to and fro due to the ongoing student protests in the neighbouring country, officials said. The Bangladeshi side of the Petrapole landport remained non-functional, they said. Nearly one-third of land-based trade between India and Bangladesh takes place through Petrapole.
The border forces of India and Bangladesh will hold their bi-annual talks next week in New Delhi, with issues such as border fence construction and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants figuring among the discussion points. The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in New Delhi between February 17-20. The conference will be the first top-level meeting between the two sides after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year. Discussions will be held on prevention of attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based miscreants/nationals, how to prevent trans-border crimes, construction of a single-row fence, action against Indian Insurgent Groups in Bangladesh, issues related to border infrastructure, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, Confidence Building Measures and other issues.
The police are also patrolling border villages.
Despite documentary evidence supplied by the BSF, the BDR refused to accept that the stranded immigrants were Bangladeshis.
The fencing along the Indo-Bangla border is likely to be completed by the end of 2006, the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Home Ministry was informed in New Delhi Tuesday.
The Director General also expressed concern over recent attempts by Pakistan-based terrorists to enter the country through low-key Rajasthan and Punjab sectors.
The situation along the Indo-Bangla border in Assam's Cachar district remained tense but under control.
The BSF has arrested 822 smugglers along the Indo-Bangla border till April this year.
Heavy firing was reported along the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya between border guards of the two countries following an intrusion attempt from the Bangladeshi side.
Sylhet, Srimanagal and Habigunj districts of Bangladesh, bordering Khowai subdivision of west Tripura district and Kamalpur subdivision of Dhalai district, have recently been affected by avian influenza, the sources said.
Top commanders of the border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh will meet later this week to thrash out a number of issues including illegal crossing over and migration to Indian side, and smuggling of narcotics along the eastern frontier.
Issues ranging from fencing of the Indo-Bangla border to desilting of Hooghly river and spread of fluorosis among people in Telangana were among several issues raised in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour on Wednesday.
The issue of erecting fences along the international Indo-Bangla border was in cold storage for last several years.
A senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader has blamed an 'ecosystem of former diplomats, bureaucrats, politicians, and think tanks' for creating a 'bogeyman' to mislead the Indian establishment into believing that Indo-Bangla relations would deteriorate without the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League.
Bangladesh has summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka over border tensions, accusing India of violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border. The development comes after Bangladesh officials alleged that India had halted construction of barbed wire fencing due to strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents.
Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, has said that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina making political remarks from India is an 'unfriendly gesture', asserting that she must remain silent to prevent the discomfort to both countries until Dhaka requests her extradition.
Alamgir said that even after the fall of the Hasina government following a people's uprising, the 'Indian establishment is yet to reach out to BNP, even though China, the US, the UK, and Pakistan have already done so.'
It will be an interesting picture of cricket diplomacy if the two leaders are seen watching the game from VVIP Box of Dr BC Roy Club House.
The first ever train service between India and Bangladesh is expected to begin by next month with the inter-country 'Moitree Express' ready for operations, officials said on Saturday.
The first ever train service between India and Bangladesh is expected to begin by next month with the inter-country 'Moitree Express' ready for operations, officials said on Saturday.
Soon, rubber fencing might come up along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Saturday visited the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam's Dhubri district to review security measures, particularly in the riverine areas, following allegations of unabated illegal influx.
There was heavy exchange of fire between the two forces on August 19-20 injuring two Indian villagers along the Indian border.
Besides capital Dhaka, at least 49 of Bangladesh's 64 districts were hit by the bombings, suspected to be the handiwork of banned Islamic outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen. \n
Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran is heading the Indian delegation while Bangladeshi side is led by his counterpart Mohammad Hemayatudin.
Marking further cementing of bilateral ties, a haat (rural bazaar) on the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya was inaugurated on Saturday.
Unocal Corporation of the United States has shelved its ambitious plans to export Bangladesh gas to India as Dhaka continued to drag its feet on taking a call on selling natural gas to New Delhi through a $1.2 billion pipeline.
The situation had led to a blame game between the Border Security Force and its counterpart -- Border Guards Bangladesh -- with the two sides accusing each other of pushing them into their territories.
India and Bangladesh had decided to start the service during the Joint Economic Commission meeting in Dhaka.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday underlined the need for India and Bangladesh to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation, warning that insurgents have the 'potential' to affect the bilateral ties.
Singh also claimed that the insurgency situation has improved considerably in the last 18 months since the BJP came to power at the Centre and appealed to all militant outfits in Assam to give up arms and come forward for talks.
A 40-year-old man was killed and a child injured on Monday in "unprovoked" firing in a case of ceasefire violation by suspected Bangladeshi border guarding force personnel in north Bengal, officials said.
Five persons, including three Bangladeshis, were injured as personnel from the Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles traded gunfire in West Bengal's Malda and South Dinajpur districts.
Smuggling and crime are everyday instances. The 70,000 people in villages along the border make the going tough for the BSF. Neelabh Srivastava reports
Border haats, to be set up in Tripura and Mizoram, follows the success of two existing border haats near Meghalaya.
The Kerala High Court directed ESPN to telecast the series through the Doordarshan channel concerned on revenue sharing basis.
Handing over of United Liberation Front of Asom leader Anup Chetia to India, cooperation in anti-terror steps and firing along the international border will be high on the agenda during the home secretary-level talks between India and Bangladesh beginning Wednesday.
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