BGB-BSF DG level conference begins in India

Five-day BGB-BSF DG level conference begins in Delhi on Thursday. Photo: UNB
Five-day BGB-BSF DG level conference begins in Delhi on Thursday. Photo: UNB

A five-day director general-level conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has begun at a BSF camp in Chhawla of New Delhi, India, reports news agency UNB.

Sources at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka said the formal meeting began around 10:00am on Thursday (local time).

BGB director general (DG) major general Md. Shafeenul Islam is leading the 11-member Bangladesh delegation, while his BSF counterpart Shri Vivek Johri leading a 19-member Indian delegation at the conference.

The Bangladesh delegation include officials from the home ministry, foreign ministry and Prime Minister’s Office and high officials from BGB headquarters while officials from Indian home ministry, foreign ministry and frontiers IGs are among the Indian delegation members, said BGB headquarters public relations officer Md. Shariful Islam.

Shooting, injuring and killing of unarmed Bangladeshi citizens along the borders are at the top of the agenda for Bangladesh in the conference.

Other security issues, including preventing smuggling of yaba pills, phensedyl, alcohol, hemp, heroin, viagra/sanagra, arms and ammunition from India to Bangladesh, are also being discussed at the conference.

BGB DG major general Md. Shafeenul Islam paid a courtesy call on Indian home minister Amit Shah on the first day of the conference.

The volleyball teams of BGB and BSF were scheduled to participate in a Maitree Cup Tournament at Chhawla Camp Stadium on Friday.

The conference will conclude with the signing of a Joint Record of Discussion (JRD) on 29 December, PRO Shariful said.