Greater cooperation underscored

A four-day border coordination meeting between BSF and BGB ended in Sylhet on November 8, concluding that greater cooperation, understanding and synergy was needed to keep the border population secure.
The meeting focused on border killing, human trafficking, fake currency, smuggling of arms, illegal drugs, forest produce and cattle, actionable intelligence sharing, fencing within 150 yards and confidence building measures.
Other issues include a follow-up on the coordinated border management plan signed between Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on July 30, 2011 during the Indian home minister's visit to Dhaka.
The BGB delegation, led by BGB Deputy Director General Brig Gen Abu Sayeed Khan, raised issues regarding firing on Bangladeshis by Indians, kidnapping and apprehension of Bangladeshis and trespassing by Indians.
The Bangladesh delegation included senior BGB officials from its headquarters, sector commanders of Rangpur, Mymensingh, Comilla, Khagrachhari, Sylhet and Rangamati, and officials from the home and foreign ministries.
The Indian delegation, led by BSF Inspector General of Meghalaya Sudesh Kumar, comprised senior officials of home ministry and Narcotics Control Bureau and BSF IGs and DIGs of Guwahati, Tripura and Mizoram.