BSF holds 83 flag meetings with Bangladeshi counterparts, stresses safety of Indians, minorities amid unrest

New Delhi: He Border Security Force (BSF) held 83 flag meetings with the Bangladesh Border Guard Force Criminal Code Over the past three days, emphasis has been placed on the need to protect Indian nationals and people belonging to minority communities in the neighbouring county in the wake of the riots there. In addition, the BSF and the Bangladesh border guard (BGB) had around 241 simultaneous coordinated patrols in vulnerable border areas, officials announced here on Tuesday.

A high-level committee, set up by the Union Home Ministry to monitor the current situation on the India-Bangladesh border, has been in touch with its counterparts in Bangladesh. As per the instructions of the Home Ministry, the high-level committee met on August 10. Further, on the instructions of the Director General of BSF, the members of the committee have been in touch with their counterpart, an official said.

To reach out to their counterparts at the levels of border outposts and company commanders, both the border guard forces have held around 83 flag meetings at various levels in the last three days. The BGB has not only been cooperating with the BSF along the international border on operational issues but is also taking all measures for the safety of Indian nationals and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh in collaboration with their civil authorities, the official said.

Another official said that while the BSF authorities appreciated the role of the BGB in preventing Bangladeshi nationals from reaching the border, they were insistent on ensuring the safety of Indian nationals and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh. On August 9, when 1,500 Bangladeshi nationals had gathered near the zero line on the Coochbehar-Lalmonirhat district border inside Bangladesh, the BGB made efforts in collaboration with the civil authorities of Lalmonirhat district of Bangladesh to persuade them to return, the official said.

The two border guarding forces have also discussed bilateral field meetings, matters related to border security and other mutual interests. Moreover, local BSF commanders devised channels for an effective coordinated mechanism for sharing real-time information on various operational matters with the BGB. Besides, 232 meetings have also been held with Indian villagers residing along the international border to apprise them of the prevailing situation in Bangladesh and seek their cooperation in border management.

The BSF is in active communication with the BGB at all levels through available channels to monitor the security situation and is prepared to tackle any kind of unforeseen situation along the India-Bangladesh border, the official said. The prevailing situation in Bangladesh arose after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government following widespread student protests and violence and the subsequent formation of a caretaker government.

On August 9, the Narendra Modi government constituted a high-level committee, headed by an Additional Director General-ranking officer of the BSF, to monitor the situation along the India-Bangladesh border in the wake of the ongoing situation in the neighbouring country. The committee is supposed to be in touch with counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Indian citizens, Hindus and other minority communities living there.