Flag meeting held at Phulbari border amid local protests
India–Bangladesh Border Road Row: Amid heightened tension over construction activity near the zero line along the Bangladesh–India border in Kurigram’s Phulbari upazila, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has told Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) that it is only repairing an existing road, not building a new one.
The clarification came during a flag meeting at the battalion commander level between the two border forces, held on Monday afternoon at the Khalishakothal border point in Phulbari.
BSF claims road dates back to British era
“The BSF claimed that the paved road on the Indian side dates back to the British period. They said they are not constructing a new road but merely repairing the old one,” said Lt Col Mehedi Imam, commanding officer of Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion.
According to him, the BSF also assured the Bangladeshi side that the road would not be widened under any circumstances.
BGB to send inspection team
Lt Col Mehedi, who led the Bangladeshi delegation at the meeting, said that a BGB inspection team will soon visit the site following the exchange of official letters between the two sides.
“At present, BGB patrols in the area have been intensified, and the overall situation remains normal,” he added.
He further said that a joint inspection team, comprising members of both the BGB and the BSF, would be formed shortly to verify whether the road had been widened under the guise of repair work.
No new construction allowed: BGB
Clarifying Bangladesh’s position, Lt Col Mehedi said BSF would be allowed to continue repair work only, but any new construction is strictly prohibited.
“New road construction, raising the road level, or installing any new pillars or lampposts is not permitted. These concerns were clearly raised during the flag meeting, and the BSF agreed to comply,” he said.
The Indian delegation at the meeting was led by KK Rao, commander of the 3rd BSF Battalion.
Local protests triggered meeting
The issue came to the fore after local residents protested against ongoing work on the paved road along the Khalishakothal border, alleging it was being carried out too close to the zero line. The protests prompted the BGB to call for the flag meeting to defuse tensions and seek clarification.