The 57th Director General Level Border Coordination Conference between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh concluded at the BSF headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday with the two forces reaffirming their commitment to maintaining peace, tranquillity and stability along the India-Bangladesh border.
Reiterating their shared resolve to adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards transborder crimes, insurgent activities and any actions that undermine border security, the forces agreed to further strengthen coordinated patrols, enhance vigil, improve real-time information sharing and intensify joint efforts against trans-border criminal networks.
The Indian delegation was led by Praveen Kumar, Director General, BSF, while the Bangladesh delegation has been led by Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General, BGB.
The four-day conference was conducted in a cordial, positive and forward-looking atmosphere, reflecting the enduring cooperation and mutual trust between the two border guarding forces.
As the highest-level bilateral mechanism between BSF and BGB, the border coordination conference provided an important platform to review the prevailing border situation and discuss issues of mutual concern relating to border security and border management.
During the deliberations, both sides held detailed discussions on measures to effectively prevent trans-border crimes, including smuggling of narcotics, arms, counterfeit currency, gold and other contraband, as well as illegal border crossings and human trafficking.
The two delegations also discussed issues relating to border deaths and illegal/ inadvertent/ forcible crossing at the border areas, construction of border infrastructure, implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, confidence-building measures and the need for closer cooperation in addressing emerging security challenges along the border.
Emphasis was also laid on sensitising border population about the sanctity of the international boundary and promoting greater public awareness to prevent illegal activities in border areas.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the conference and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the cooperation, mutual trust and professional engagement in the interest of secure and peaceful borders.
The conference concluded with the signing of Joint Record of Discussions with both delegations expressing confidence that the decisions and understandings reached will further enhance bilateral cooperation and contribute significantly towards effective border management and the friendly relations between India and Bangladesh.
The next DG-level conference is proposed to be held in Dhaka in November this year.
DG-Level Meet: BSF, BGB Vow To Maintain Peace, Security Along India-Bangladesh Border
