BSF director-general Nitin Agarwal will meet his Border Guard Bangladesh counterpart Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, ahead of the 54th BSF-BGB Director-General Level Border Coordination Conference March 5 to 9 in Dhaka
Amid concerns about cattle smuggling leading to violent attacks on Indian civilians and BSF personnel on the eastern border, the force’s director-general Nitin Agarwal will meet his Border Guard Bangladesh counterpart Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui on Tuesday.
The four-day 54th BSF-BGB Director-General Level Border Coordination Conference is being held from March 5 to 9 in Dhaka. The Indian side is likely to take up issues of rising border crimes, cattle, narcotics and gold smuggling as well as human trafficking with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
“During the conference, both sides will discuss a range of issues related to border management, especially prevention of border crimes, infrastructure-related issues, joint efforts for effective implementation of coordinated border management plan (CBMP), river bank protection works and water sharing between both the countries,” said a BSF spokesperson.
BSF personnel injured
At least 40 BSF personnel and 37 civilians have been injured in the last one year on the Indo-Bangaldesh border, making it the highest number in a few years. In 2022, a total of 43 cases were reported while in 2021 the figure was at 64.
India suspects that in some cases, a crossborder syndicate of Indian and Bangladeshi criminals could be at work with the primary motivation of allowing safe passage for cattle smugglers. A total of 37 civilians were injured on the Indo-Bangladesh border last year. This is the highest figure reported since 2019 when 83 Indians, including civilians, were injured.
Cattle smuggling & fake currency
In 2023, at least 16,786 cattle smuggling incidents were recorded, which is the lowest in the last five years but 12,228 of these were between May 2023 and January 2024. Eight Indians were apprehended this year for carrying fake Indian currency notes (FICN) from across the border. The BSF seized 20,18,000 of fake currency this year.
While previous years showed an equal number of Indians and Bangladeshis carrying FICN, this year no Bangladeshi national has been caught. India wants to collaborate with the BGB to ensure that smuggling of cattle, narcotics, gold and fake currency is stopped.
A BSF constable, Vivek Tiwari, was drowned in a nullah by alleged cattle smugglers in 2022.
Arms recovery
The BSF suspects that small arms, country-made weapons and primitive sharp-edged weapons carved out of material like bamboo are being used by crossborder criminals. While no AK series rifle has been seized this year, 29 arms including 23 pistols and five country-made arms, were seized. At least 580 ammunitions were also captured last year.
In three cases, BSF personnel or an Indian civilian was injured by firearms used by alleged Bangladeshi criminals. Sharp-edged weapons were used in 28 cases while criminals resorted to stone pelting in 41.
Bangladeshi nationals intercepted
At least 3,342 Bangladeshi nationals were intercepted in 2023, the highest in the last five years. “We have not separately accounted for the Rohingyas,” said a BSF official, when asked if this showed a continued trend of Rohingyas trying to enter India as Bangladeshis.
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