NewsGate Press Network

The border talks between the director generals of DG BSF from India and DG BGB from Bangladesh were set into motion after the delegation from across the border landed in the National Capital on 17th of February 2025.

There is nothing new or exclusive this time around during the routine exchange of notes across the table at the DG level but these official meetings assume heightened anxiety after the violent change of regime in Dhaka and new dispensation in Bangladesh showing disregard to agreements and MOUs signed  between the two countries.

The current meeting is the 55th in the series of border conferences between the two DGs – the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The formal and official talks between the two DG will start on Tuesday the 18th of February.

DG BSF Daljit Singh Chawdhary received and welcomed Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, DG BGB, along with the 13-member delegation at IGI airport.

“DG BGB is heading the BGB delegation, to discuss and deliberate upon the border related issues and for better coordination between both the Border Guarding Forces,” it added.

The 13 member Bangladeshi delegation includes senior BGB officials, officials of chief advisory office, the home ministry, the foreign ministry, the Department of Land Records and Survey, and the joint-river commission.

The border conference will be officially concluded on 20th of February 20, the Bangladesh delegation is scheduled to go back on the same day.

At the DG-level conference, agenda among other items includes progress on various bilateral issues such as border killings, illegal intrusion, construction of unauthorized infrastructures, violations of international boundary law, Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP), construction of barbed wire within 150 yards on the frontiers, other development works and establishing suitable water refinery to remove the waste water from Agartala to Akhaura are likely to dominate the discussion, the BGB statement said.

It may be recalled that last month, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had stated on one of the weekly presser that border related issues would be discussed at the DG-level talks.

“We expect all mutually agreed MOUs and Agreements to be honoured. These form the basis for structured engagements between the border guarding forces and facilitate creation of mutually beneficial security and trade infrastructure along the border,” Jaiswal had stated.

On January 29, Bangladesh’s Interim Government’s Home Affairs Advisor Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that Dhaka will speak in a “different tone” during the border conference.

However, the home adviser, didn’t elaborate on what he meant by “speak in a different tone”.

Earlier, on January 12, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to lodge a protest against the “illegal” construction of fences at the borders.

On the following day, India summoned the Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner Md. Nural Islam to the South Block offices of MEA.

It was conveyed to the Bangladesh side that with regard to security measures at the border, including on fencing, India had followed all laid down established protocols and agreements between the two governments and also between the BSF and BGB.