Construction of fence, attack on BSF troops discussed during India-Bangladesh border talks

New Delhi: The BSF raised the issue of attack on its personnel and Indian citizens by Bangladeshi criminals, drone intrusions and "early" construction of a single-row fence along the border to curb crimes as the two countries ended their bi-annual talks in Dhaka on Thursday.

This was the first time that an Indian delegation travelled to the neighbouring country for these talks after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August last year.

A delegation of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), BSF's Bangladeshi counterpart, had come to Delhi for these talks between between February 17 and 20.

The talks, held between August 25 and 28, concluded at the BGB headquarters at Pilkhana with the signing of a joint record of discussions on a host of issues related to the 4,096 km-long international border (IB).

The Indian delegation was led by BSF Director General (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary and the Bangladeshi side was headed by BGB DG Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui.

"Major agenda points from BSF were prevention against attack, assault, abuse and stone pelting on BSF personnel and Indian nationals by Bangladesh-based criminals/miscreants, joint efforts to prevent trans-border crimes, action against Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) in Bangladesh, denial and delay in taking over apprehended illegal Bangladeshi entrants by BGB," the BSF said in a statement.

Issues related to border infrastructure, construction of single-row fence (SRF), air violations (including drone intrusions), incorrect reporting/misinterpretation of border issues by Bangladeshi media and other miscellaneous activities were also part of the BSF agenda points, it said.

The force "stressed" upon the agenda for early construction of the SRF, which does not have defence potential, and it will be an important measure for curbing and preventing trans-border crimes, as per the statement.

Both sides agreed to follow the laid-down procedure while erecting the SRF, it said.

Officials privy to the development told PTI that the BSF, during the discussions, also informed the BGB about its move to provide about 5,000 body-worn cameras to its troops so that "irrefutable" evidence is furnished in cross-frontier crime, including cases where Indian troops are attacked by criminals and the force takes action by initiating non-lethal and lethal firing in self-defence.

The BGB accuses the BSF of killing its people at the border, which the Indian side has always refuted, saying the border troops resort to a "graded response" of action against criminals when troops or Indian nationals are attacked.

As per the official data, 68 BSF personnel were injured in attacks by criminals while these numbers, till June 2025, stood at more than 35.

The statement said both the sides "agreed" to taking "effective steps" to continue to sensitise the border population to refrain from violating the international border, illegal crossing and intrusion, smuggling, human trafficking, uprooting border pillars and other trans-border crimes.

The two sides also "mutually" agreed to constructively engage the respective higher authorities for concurrence of the pending developmental work within 150 yards of the IB.

It was also agreed to "facilitate" river bank protection work along the common bordering rivers as approved by the Joint River Commission based on mutual consensus and without unnecessary hindrance, the statement said.

"Both sides expressed their satisfaction over the outcome of the conference and reiterated their commitments to work jointly for maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border," it said.

The next such meeting is scheduled to be held in India tentatively in March 2026.