Bangladesh and India have agreed to stop killings, smugglings, illegal intrusion at borders alongside repatriate their nationals following due legal process and not to take development schemes within 150 yards of zero line.
The agreement came in a joint statement issued on Thursday by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) upon completion of the four-day Director General (DG) level of border conference at BGB's Pilkhana Headquarters in Dhaka, reports BSS.
The Director General (DG) of BGB Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui led 21-meber Bangladesh delegation while BSF DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary led the 11-member Indian delegation.
Chiefs of both the border guards expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the conference.
They reaffirmed their commitment to work jointly to maintain peace and stability along the border.
Bangladesh delegation included senior BGB officials as well as representatives from the Office of the Chief Adviser, Home Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Shipping Ministry, Roads and Highways Department, Department of Land Records and Surveys, Joint Rivers Commission and Department of Narcotics Control.
The Indian delegation included senior BSF officials, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and officials from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
During the meeting, BGB chief expressed deep concern over indiscriminate shootings and killings of innocent Bangladeshi nationals by BSF and Indian citizens along the border.
In response, BSF chief reiterated his commitment to preventing recurrence of border killings by adopting additional precautionary measures and intensifying night patrols in vulnerable border areas.
Both sides agreed to undertake joint awareness programs, implement socio-economic development initiatives in vulnerable areas, promote respect for border sanctity and prevent cross-border movement of criminals with the objective of reducing such incidents to zero.
The BGB DG also raised concerns over illegal push-ins of individuals, Indian nationals and Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) into Bangladesh by BSF.
He emphasized adherence to establish procedures for repatriation of illegal entrants.
In reply, BSF DG assured that Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in India would be repatriated following mutually agreed processes.
