BGB, BSF agree to bring border killing to zero

The five-day long director general (DG) level border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) ended at BGB Headquarters in the city on Thursday renewing the consensus in bringing down the border killings to zero level, reports UNB.

The conference, which began on July 17, ended on Thursday with signing a Joint Record of Discussion (JRD).

DG of BGB Major General Shakil Ahmed led a 20-member Bangladesh delegation while his BSF counterpart Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh headed a 9-member delegation at the talks.

Both sides agreed to bring down the killing, injuring and beating unarmed nationals of both countries to zero by adopting extra precautionary measures along the border, such as, increasing Coordinated Patrols specially during the latter part of night until morning.

Both sides also agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the number of incidents of assault and border crime by intensifying various initiatives like public awareness programmes, undertaking appropriate socio-economic developmental programmes in vulnerable areas, educating border population about the sanctity of IB (international border) and also agreed to prevent criminals and inhabitants from crossing the IB.

Briefing reporters at the BGB headquarters after signing the JRD, the BGB chief said they have both agreed to bring down border killing to zero with the joint initiatives of the two countries.

He also said the issue of border killing was discussed in the meeting very seriously, adding "We agreed that both sides not only will reduce border killing, but also will reduce incidents to zero level."

He said the two sides openly discussed all issues related to the border including killings on the border. "We have agreed on everything," he said.

When asked why casualties are not stopped despite agreement reached every year, BSF chief Pankaj Kumar Singh said, "We hear the same question every year. Our relationship with Bangladesh is very different and different from western countries. We are constantly discussing the border issue at various levels."

Criminals are in both countries. Both countries have good and bad people. The improvement in border killing situation was good last year. This year is getting better. There are good and bad people in every society of the two countries, the DG of BSF added.