DG level Border coordination conference between India, Bangladesh held in Delhi

The Director Generals of the border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh met in New Delhi on Monday at the Border Coordination Conference.

This is the 47th Director General Level Co-ordination meeting, which is being organised at New Delhi from September 3 to 8. The Indian delegation is headed by Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) KK Sharma, and the Bangladesh Delegation is headed by Director General Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Md. Shafeenul Islam.

To enhance cooperation and mutual understanding between the two border guarding forces, both sides are carrying out various events for officers and men on the reciprocal basis under confidence-building measures. In addition to it, the Coordinated Border Management Plan is also being implemented by both the border guarding forces as force multipliers in checking trans-border crimes.

Such DG Level bi-annual Border Co-ordination conferences between the two nations are being held since 1975 which discuss the matters of imminent concern. The last DG Level Border Co-ordination conference between the BSF and the BGB were held from April 23 to 27 in Bangladesh's Dhaka. It was decided during this conference that the next DG Level Co-ordination Conference would be held at New Delhi.

Both the Border Guarding Forces presented their individual agendas separately. The main points of the BSF agenda for the conference this year included points like prevention against attacks on BSF personnel by the Bangladeshi criminals, Joint efforts to prevent trans-border crimes, Action against IIGs (Indian Insurgent Groups), Issues related with border infrastructure, Joint efforts for effective implementation of CBMP (Comprehensive Border Management Plan) and other Confidence Building Measures. The CBMP included proposals of Simultaneous Coordinated patrol (SCPs), Identification of vulnerable areas and Sharing of Information between the two forces.

The agendas from the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) included issues related to trans border crimes, Smuggling of various types of drugs/narcotics from India to Bangladesh, Arrest/apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals by BSF, Construction of viewers' gallery and other facilities for joint retreat ceremony venues, Expansion of Crime Free Zones. The other Confidence building measures proposed from the Bangladesh Force were Organizing combined 'Milon Mela' at commonly agreed places, Visit of medical professionals including Medical Campaigns, Visiting training institutions including exchange of training and instructors, Visit of School Children, Visit of media personnel, Friendly Games and Sports, Joint Expedition like Cycling, Hiking, Rowing-Rafting Mountain climbing etc, Joint exercises, Interforce shooting competition, Joint Seminar/Symposium/Workshop, Joint band display in the bordering areas, Visit of force welfare organisation members from both sides, Higher studies in India for BGB wards,

The concluding session and signing of Joint Record of Discussions between both the DG's of BSF and BGB will take place on September 7.

It was envisaged in the Joint India-Bangladesh guidelines for Border Authorities-1975 that there should be frequent contacts between the border authorities of two countries concerned to discuss the matter of immediate administrative concern. An Indian delegation under the leadership of Ashwani Kumar, former Director General of BSF and the Bangladesh delegation under the leadership of Major General Quazi Golam Dastgir, former Director General BGB met at Kolkata on December 2, 1975, for the first time to discuss mutual border problems. Since then, the meetings between DG BSF and DG BGB were held annually, alternatively in India and Bangladesh till 1993.

Then, during discussions between the Home Secretaries of India and Bangladesh that were held at Dhaka (Bangladesh) from Oct 7th to 9th, 1993, it was agreed that the Director-General level meetings between BSF and BGB, are to be a bi-annual event. Accordingly, DG BSF and DG BGB have been holding Border Coordination meetings twice a year alternatively at Delhi and Dhaka and joint record of discussions of these meetings are forwarded to Ministry of Home Affairs after each such meeting.