Verification, not investigation
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) will now conduct joint verification instead of investigation into border killings.
The agreement came during a DG-level conference in Dhaka yesterday, to reduce the number of border killings to zero.
Last year, BGB-BSF decided to conduct joint investigation.
About change in the decision, BGB Director General Maj Gen Abul Hossain said neither the BSF nor the BGB has investigation agencies. Only police can investigate any incident, he said.
For verification, teams from both the forces will visit spots, and make an identification and assessment, he told a press briefing on the conference at the BGB headquarters in Pilkhana.
The DG said steps were also taken for border mapping so that they can identify the areas through which smuggling mostly takes place.
BSF DG KK Sharma sought BGB's cooperation in preventing Bangladeshis from entering Indian territory.
The DG said the use of non-lethal weapons has successfully reduced the number of deaths.
KK Sharma stated attack on BSF by criminals increased alarmingly. He, however, did not show any data or case study at the conference.
Both the forces agreed to conduct coordinated patrols in the areas vulnerable to cattle and drug smuggling and to make the border population aware of the issue.
On militancy, BGB DG Maj Gen Abul Hossain said many border areas still remain unguarded. Whenever the BGB gets any information it will pass it to the BSF and vice versa, he said.
DG Sharma said if they find any anti-social element or terrorist hideouts or anything that can harm Bangladesh, they will immediately take actions.
At the conference, both the DGs decided to approach their ministers concerned to increase the number of “border haats” and promote “border tourism” which will help to improve socio-economic condition of the border people.
BSF DG mentioned that construction of an effluent treatment plant in Agartala of India and a drain with a box culvert in Akhaura of Bangladesh will start soon to reduce environmental degradation.
The five-day 44th conference began in Dhaka on February 18, where BGB DG Abul Hossain is leading a 28-member Bangladesh delegation while DG KK Sharma a 19-member Indian team.
The next DG-level conference is expected to be held in New Delhi on the first week in October this year.
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