BGB reclaims 5km border area of River Kodla bordering India

The Border Guard Bangladesh has reclaimed a 5-kilometre stretch of border territory along the Kodala River in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenaidah, strengthening Bangladesh's sovereignty over the area.

The Moheshpur 58 BGB Battalion, responsible for overseeing this border area, verified the river's rightful ownership through documents, maps, and consultations with the local administration. Acting on these findings, the battalion took decisive action, according to a press release issued on Monday.

On December 19, 2024, BGB personnel began 24-hour patrols using motorised boats and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to establish control over the river. Guided by directives from higher authorities, they carried out their mission with professionalism and goodwill, the release stated.

By December 20, 2024, the BGB had restored local access to the Kodala River. Bangladeshi citizens resumed fishing, cultivating along the riverbanks, and engaging in other daily activities. The release also noted that illegal movements by Indian nationals in the area had largely ceased.

On January 6, 2025, commanding officer of the Moheshpur Battalion Lt Col Shah Md Azizus Shahid met with local residents to raise awareness about the river's rightful ownership. He thanked the community for their support and encouraged them to educate future generations about the area's sovereignty.

The officer urged locals to continue irrigation and cultivation activities while assuring them of the BGB's unwavering support in addressing any challenges, the release added.

However, the Indian Border Security Force on Tuesday rejected reports that the BGB has taken control of a 5km stretch of land "belonging to India" along the international border as "baseless and irresponsible".

The BSF South Bengal Frontier said the reports that appeared in a section of the Bangladeshi press lacked "truth and merit," PTI reported quoting a BSF South Bengal unit statement.

"Not an inch of Indian land has been, or will be, taken over by the counterpart. Both the BSF and BGB are peacefully dominating their respective areas in accordance with the 'India-Bangladesh Border Guidelines, 1975', ensuring the integrity of the IB is maintained," it said.

Abdur Rahim, a local resident of Matila village in Jadavpur union of Moheshpur, said that at one time there was a lot of fish farming in this river.

After independence, when the people of the Kodla River started living further inside Bangladesh for their own needs, the Indian BSF occupied the Bangladesh part of the Kodla River and established dominance there.

This reclaimed section of the river, which runs southward within Bangladesh, forms part of the Bangladesh-India border near Matila. The Bangladesh-India map (Steep Map Sheet No 51) adopted in 1961 confirms that this 4.80km stretch lies entirely within Bangladesh's territory.

Over the years, local residents witnessed the gradual encroachment of this area by the BSF. After Bangladesh's independence, many people relocated from the border, which allowed the BSF to assert control over this portion of the Kodala River.

This encroachment restricted access for Bangladeshi citizens, leading to frequent disputes between BSF and local residents and occasional confrontations with BGB personnel, the press release added.

[Our New Delhi and Benapole correspondents contributed to this report]