Dhaka (August 24): India will press for stronger action against cross-border crimes, attacks on Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and civilians, and expedited construction of a single-row fence along sensitive stretches during the upcoming DG-level Border Coordination Conference with Bangladesh.
The four-day meeting between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) begins Monday in Dhaka and will run until August 28. The Indian delegation will be led by BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary, while BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui will head the Bangladeshi side.
Officials said New Delhi is expected to raise over half a dozen key issues, including action against Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) operating from Bangladesh, strengthening border infrastructure, and enhancing joint measures for implementing the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP). Confidence-building measures to reduce friction between forces will also be on the agenda.
The BSF said the talks are aimed at “addressing border-related issues and ensuring better coordination between both guarding forces.” The last DG-level talks were held in New Delhi from February 17 to 20 this year.
The mechanism traces its roots to 1975, when Indian and Bangladeshi border authorities first met in Kolkata to discuss security and administrative concerns. Following an agreement reached during Home Secretary-level talks in Dhaka in October 1993, DG-level meetings between BSF and BGB have been held biannually, alternating between India and Bangladesh.
The conferences have since become a crucial platform for resolving disputes, curbing illegal movement across the 4,096-km-long border, and maintaining security coordination.