BGB to get 2 helicopters

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will get two helicopters for its Air Wing within December next year, said its director general major general Md Shafeenul Islam in Khagrachhari on Monday.

While talking to UNB after visiting the remote Kantalong Border Outpost (BOP) under BGB Battalion-54 in Khagrachhari district in the afternoon, he also said a contract will be signed with Russia within this month in this regard.

"There're 686 BOPs to protect our 4,427-km border. Many BOPs are situated in far remote areas that BGB men need 4-5 days to reach from their respective camps on foot," the BGB chief said, adding that for this, the paramilitary force needs its own Air Wing.

Considering the matter, the prime minister has already given her consent to procuring two helicopters for the BGB's Air Wing, he said. "We'll sign an agreement with Russia within this month and hope we'll get the two helicopters within the next 8-12 months," he said.

The BGB chief also said the government has taken initiatives to construct border roads. “As part of the initiatives, the road transport and bridges ministry has already started a survey from Teknaf to the north to construct the border roads. Besides, BGB has sent a proposal to the home ministry to construct border roads from Ramgarh to the north which will connect this BOP (Kantalong).”

Once the border roads are constructed, it will bring more dynamism into the border management, he said.

Replying to a query, major general Shafeenul said presently, one BOP has to monitor a 10-km border area, which is a very difficult task for the border force. "If we can double the number of BOPs, the border management will be more dynamic," he added.

Earlier in the day, the BGB director general visited the North Lankachhara BOP under BGB Battalion-7 of Khagrachhari and BGB sector headquarters in Bandarban.

He also visited Ramu Regional BGB headquarters and frontiers under Teknaf Battalion on Sunday as part of his regular border inspection.

During his visit, major general Shafeenul talked to the BGB men of the BOPs and inquired about their wellbeing and various problems.

He asked them to discharge their duties sincerely. Senior BGB officers were present during the visit.