Militants of Indian insurgent outfits are operating from 22 hideouts in the border areas of Bangladesh, a top Border Security Force (BSF) official said on Sunday.

The ultras are carrying out anti-India activities from these hideouts, mostly in the Chittagong Hill tracts, Inspector General (I-G) of BSF, Tripura Frontier, R K Mishra said.
“The hideouts are mostly in the Chittagong Hill tracts of the country. Five to six of them are within five km from the international border,” he said.

The Bangladesh Border Guards (BBG) are very cooperative with the BSF, the I-G said. They also reacted positively when messages were sent regarding specific information of militant presence in the country.

Mishra, who also participated in the recent DG-level meeting between the two countries held in Dhaka, said it was “cordial and fruitful”.

He said about 85 per cent of the 856-km border between the two countries had been fenced, but smugglers were using unfenced border.

He said 72 per cent of the work for setting up floodlights along the border had been completed and the remaining work was expected to be completed by July next year.
Also, 81 new composite border outposts  would come up along the border and 18 battalions will be deployed to guard the border in the state.

“When the situation in the fringe is peaceful, criminals of both countries are trying for cross-border migration after committing crimes,” he said.

An IG-level meeting of the BSF and BBG is scheduled to be held after the Durga Puja festival. Issues like cross-border movement of criminals and smuggling would be discussed, he added.