Author: Statesman News Service
Publication: The Statesman
Date: November 30, 2005
URL: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=97693
The 4,095-km-long India-Bangladesh border
is going to create more problems for India than the India-Pakistan border
on the western front, the director-general of Border Security Force, Mr RS
Mooshahary, said here today.
Manning the eastern front border would be
more troublesome in future, the DG (BSF) said, attributing it to the increase
in population density along the Indo-Bangla border. About 1,000 km of the
border is not fenced. "There are many geographical hurdles in the way
of fencing (too)," he said. At present, around 2,000 km has been fenced
and another 1,000 km would be fenced in a year, Mr Mooshahary said and added:
"But it is still not possible to check infiltration from the unfenced
areas".
The other problem the BSF is facing is the
stiff resistance from Bangladesh Rifles in the fencing of areas within 150-m-range
of the International Border. The BDR called the fencing "a defence activity"
while India termed it "a preventive step" to check infiltration,
the DG, BSF, said. "The difference is only in understanding the issue,"
he said. Asked whether Dhaka launched operations against militants in their
country, Mr Mooshahary said: "There is an indication that Bangladesh
has launched operations against militants. But I do not think they are verifying
the information provided by India very seriously." He, however, stressed
that the BSF was taking all steps to curb infiltration from across the Indo-Bangla
border, as well as the rampant smuggling of cattle and other criminal activities.
