BGB-BSF DG level conference kicks off Wednesday

The border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) will formally begin at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka on Wednesday.

BGB director general Major General Shafeenul Islam will lead a 24-member Bangladesh delegation, says a BGB press release.

The team will include BGB additional DGs, concerned staff officers at BGB headquarters and representatives from the prime minister’s office, the home ministry, the foreign ministry, the Directorate of Land Record and Survey, Directorate of Bangladesh Survey, the Department of Narcotics Control and the Joint River Commission.

BSF director general Rajni Kant Mishra will lead a 10-member Indian delegation. The Indian delegation will include high officials of BSF headquarters and officials of the home ministry and the foreign ministry.

An eight-member delegation of BSF Wives Welfare Association (BWWA) will visit various activities conducted by Shimanto Paribar Kalyan Samity (Border Family Welfare Association) of BGB. A friendly kabbadi match between BGB and BSF will be held at the auditorium of Bir Uttam Fazlur Rahman Khandaker on Wednesday afternoon.

Smuggling of phensedyl, marijuana, liquor, yaba, Viagra and narcotics from Indian into Bangladesh will be discussed at the conference. Besides, smuggling of arms, ammunitions and explosives materials will also be discussed.

The issue of the killing of unarmed Bangladeshi nationals by the members of Indian BSF and the detention of Bangladeshi citizens by the BSF members will be raised at the conference. Illegal trespassing and intrusion will also be discussed.

Both sides will discuss how to prevent Myanmar citizens crossing the Bangladesh and India borders.

Other issues will include setting up permanent pillars at Muhurir Char, protection of banks of the border rivers of two countries.

The conference will end on 15 June with the signing of the Joint Record of Discussions (JRD)

As part of strengthening relations and friendship, the Indian delegation will visit different historical sites.

The Indian team will leave Dhaka for India on 15 June.