New Delhi: For the past one week, the Border Security Force (BSF) has been tackling an influx of people — both Hindus and Muslims, and members of the Awami League — trying to cross over to India from Bangladesh’s North Bengal Frontier after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government amid violent protests.
A senior BSF officer told ThePrint they are in regular touch with their counterparts in the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), who are “cooperating” to contain the crowds.
According to sources in the government, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, in a meeting with senior officials this week, conveyed that the India-Bangladesh border has to be “monitored extremely carefully to ensure no illegal migration takes place”. Use of “non-lethal measures” to disperse crowds was also discussed, sources said.
A senior officer in the security establishment told ThePrint the borders are sealed and not a single person has entered India without valid documents.
“It is true that people who fear persecution are queuing up at the borders in different places, especially in the North Bengal Frontier. But no one is permitted to cross over without valid documents. We are in regular touch with the BGB and are coordinating on an hourly basis to share information in real time to keep infiltrators from entering India,” the officer said.
The officer explained that it is not just Hindus trying to cross over, members of Hasina’s Awami League too were trying to leave Bangladesh, fearing they will be targeted. Over 400 people have lost their lives in the violent anti-government protests.
“These people from neighbouring villages and districts come to the borders and we immediately flag the same to the BGB. They immediately take charge and motivate people to return. With coordination, we have been able to manage the situation well,” the officer said.
According to sources in the security establishment, attempts to enter India illegally were made at three border outposts in the BSF’s North Bengal Frontier — ‘Shubhendu’ in Siliguri sector, and ‘Mukesh’ and ‘Moria Ghati’ in Kishanganj sector. On Friday, a similar attempt was made at the Cooch Behar border area in West Bengal.
In a bid to curb these attempts, the Ministry of Home Affairs also constituted a committee Friday to ensure safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh.
The committee, headed by ADG, BSF, Eastern Command will monitor the current situation at the Indo-Bangladesh border. It will include IG, BSF Frontier HQ South Bengal, IG, BSF Frontier HQ Tripura, Member (Planning & Development), Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), and secretary, LPAI, as members.
“The Government of India constitutes a committee to monitor the current situation on the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). Committee will maintain communication channels with their counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh,” a statement from the government said.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also read: ‘Nearly 500 tried to enter, 1 shot fired in air’ — BSF thwarts illegal border crossings from Bangladesh