Benefiting from joint operation at the borders

The joint operation that reportedly started this month in some strategic border areas of the country is aimed at flushing out extremists, drug and human traffickers. Comprising the Army and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the operation follows the recurrent incidents of large-scale Yaba smuggling from across the Myanmar border. The situation has been made worse by the unprecedented human trafficking and the toll of consequent tragedies. Both these factors are also believed to have prompted the recent initiative. Given the extremely serious state of criminal occurrences on both the Bangla-Myanmar borders and the vastly contiguous swathes of Bangla-India borders, such actions should have otherwise been a round-the-year affair. Now that the move has been undertaken in a well-coordinated manner, all concerned would cherish the hope that it would continue and form an essential part of the routine functions of the law enforcers.

The joint operation meant to 'search and destroy' initially started in Bangladesh territories bordering Myanmar to demolish possible hideouts of militant and organised crime groups believed to be active along the border. The Myanmar Border Guard Police in a recent flag meeting with the BGB had complained of the presence of illegal camps of terrorist outfits in Bangladesh territories along the hilly terrains of Bandarban. Similarly, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at a recent flag meeting at Shillong reportedly handed over to the BGB a list of camps of Indian insurgent groups alleged to be operating from Bangladesh.

Reports in media do indicate something odd about the whole thing. That the law enforcers are up to their task -- a highly challenging one given the long porous borders along Myanmar and India -- is well taken. But the question that remains unanswered for long is the inactivity on the part of the Indian and Myanmarese border forces to do something about drugs and weapons being smuggled from across their borders into Bangladesh. Reports say there is ample evidence of Yaba manufacturing factories inside the Myanmar border, destined for safe passage into Bangladesh. Similarly, there are reports of innumerable Phencidyle-making plants on the India side. Sprawling growth of cross-border smuggling of such dangerous drugs testifies to the safe sanctuaries in which these plants are situated.

The concerned authorities in Bangladesh should persuade their counterparts across the borders to do the needful in this regard. However, it would be foolhardly to rush to conclude that such moves were not at all taken. But the reality is that the border forces on the other sides have done nothing so far to curb the influx of these dangerous drugs that have over the years swept across almost every nook and corner of Bangladesh. This has alarming consequences. It is thus extremely pertinent that the Bangladesh border forces remain on strict vigil at the moment. This should also be well reciprocated by their counterparts on the other side of the borders. Only then actions taken along this part of the border will make sense to address the growing havoc for the benefit of all parties.