Tension erupts again over India's bid to build fence along Bangladesh border
Tensions between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) have flared as India attempted to build a fence on the 150 yard no-man's-land between the countries, in breach of international laws.
A substantial number of BSF personnel were positioned on the Indian side of the border, while 1.5 platoons of BGB members were deployed on the Bangladeshi side to address the situation. Local residents also joined the BGB, underscoring the concern over the issue, according to officials and eyewitness accounts.
International regulations prohibit the construction of any infrastructure within 150 yards of the no-man’s-land along borders.
BGB officials reported that on Friday morning, local villagers alerted them about the BSF engaging 30 to 35 workers to erect a barbed-wire fence. Amir Khasru, assistant director of the BGB 51 Battalion, confirmed the incident, stating that the BGB immediately protested the construction.
"Following our objection, the BSF temporarily halted the work but resumed shortly after," Khasru said, adding that additional BGB forces were deployed to the area to prevent further escalation.
Tensions along the border have been building since late December last year due to repeated BSF attempts to construct fences and other structures.
Earlier on Wednesday, the BGB protested another attempt by the BSF to install iron poles and an electric device on the zero line at the Patgram border in Lalmonirhat. A flag meeting was held the same day to address the issue.
In another incident on Wednesday in Chapainawabganj, anxiety gripped local villagers as the BSF initiated fence construction at Shibganj upazila. This led to additional troop deployments on both sides of the border, prompting the BSF to halt construction after BGB intervention.
On December 29, BSF personnel from Sabdalpur camp in Malda district, India, began erecting a barbed-wire fence near border pillars 177/1S, 2S, and 3S. Similarly, on Wednesday, BGB personnel successfully stopped BSF attempts to build fences on no-man’s-land in Dhamoirhat, Naogaon.
.png "Advertisement")
