BD-India border talks postponed

The crucial talks between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF)of India, which was scheduled to start on Sunday, has been postponed for an indefinite period.

The 6-day long meeting was scheduled to be held in Dhaka from September 13 to 18.

The BSF informed the BGB that they would not be able to attend the meeting due to technical glitch in the aircraft that was supposed to carry the BSF delegation to Dhaka, BGB officials said in Dhaka on Sunday.

The regular flights between India and Bangladesh are now suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The suspension is to remain effective until September 30 next.

Officials concerned in Dhaka said no new date for the meeting has been fixed. It could be deferred for an indefinite period, they said.

The meeting was considered to be a crucial one in the diplomatic circles of both the countries in the context of the rising incidents of border killing. Some important measures covering border killings, fencing and counter terrorism were expected from the talks.

Recently, foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen said the border killings recorded a rise in the first half of this year and Bangladesh raised its concerns during the foreign secretary-level meeting last month, when India's top diplomat made a surprise visit to Bangladesh.

"Indian foreign secretary assured us that he will personally talk to the head of the BSF to take due measures to stop such killings," the foreign secretary said.

The BGB planned to discuss the issue of border fencing also. After a pause, the Indian state of Tripura has recently started the barbed wire fencing in the unfenced areas of international border with Bangladesh, even as the border curfew was imposed along the 856 km Indo-Bangla border during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Bangladesh had earlier raised objections to the fencing at 11 points. According to home ministry officials, the objection was raised as the Indian side was planning to erect the fence violating the bilateral agreement, which forbids construction of anything within 150 metres of the zero point.

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