BGB, BSF to hold more flag meetings over construction of mosque at 200-yr-old site

BSF violated the border law by blocking the construction of a 200-year-old mosque within 150 yards of No Man’s Land, says BGB 52 Battalion commander Lt. Col. Shah Alam Siddiqui

Logos of BGB (R) and BSF
File photo

A flag meeting has been held between the border guards of Bangladesh and India in the wake of tensions over the construction of a new mosque next to a 200-year-old mosque in the Gajukata border area of Beanibazar upazila in Sylhet, reports news agency UNB.

The BGB-BSF flag meeting was held at Sutarkandi ICP at 5:00pm on Tuesday.

BGB 52 Battalion commander Lt. Col. Shah Alam Siddiqui led the BGB delegation while BSF 7 Battalion commander Cap. BS Minhaj led the BSF side.

At the end of the meeting, Col. M Shah Alam Siddiqui told newspersons that as per the 1975 agreement, Indian forces could not enter 150 yards of the zero line and provide any kind of barrier. They violated the border law by blocking the construction of a 200-year-old mosque within 150 yards of No Man’s Land. We have strongly protested against this.

He also said removal of BSF bunkers and continuation of the construction work of the mosque were discussed in the meeting. However, the BSF bunkers were not removed till filing of this report at 8:00pm.

The Lieutenant Colonel added that there will be more flag meetings. He said the BGB was on alert in the border area following the situation that arose.

It has been learnt that BSF obstructed the construction work of this mosque once before. The situation was resolved in a single flag meeting at that time.