Bangladesh to act tough against Indian outfits

Neighbour Vol. 3 Issue No. 26

May 1-15, 2007

Bangladesh to act tough against Indian outfits

The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has assured that it would take strong action against Indian insurgents operating from Bangladesh.The assurance came in the backdrop of BSF-BDR coordination committee meeting that concluded on April 25 at Chittagong in Bangladesh.

In the meeting, the BSF sought strong action against Indian insurgents operating from Bangladesh territory. The BDR authorities were also requested to take effective measures to destroy 176 hideouts besides initiating action to apprehend the armed insurgents residing in the neighbouring country.

The BDR authorities assured that they would not be allowed to operate from Bangladeshi soil, said Inspector General of BSF, Assam, Meghalaya and Cachar & Mizoram Frontier BSF, P K Misra, who led the Indian delegation in the meeting.

“A list of 72 rebel leaders of insurgents and 79 sympathizers residing in Bangladesh was also handed over to BDR delegation for taking appropriate action against them”, he said.

Regarding illegal cultivation of Indian land by Bangladeshi nationals in area of Harinagar and Kinokhal of Silchar sector, BDR was requested to instruct the farmers of Bangladesh villages Amalsid and Uttarkul not to forcibly enter into Indian territory, the IG said.

Misra said the issue regarding voyage clearance for BSF watercraft for transportation from Kolkata to Dhubri (Assam) through Bangladesh was also insisted upon as the case is already pending for decision with Government of Bangladesh for the last two years.

He said the implementation of the decision taken during last meeting regarding confidence building measures (CBMs) was also discussed and both the sides agreed to take up more CBMs including exchange in the field of culture and sports and placing full BDR compliments of retreat ceremony at Akhaura, Agartala in Tripura.

BSF sought cooperation in tracing of two minor children namely Sachit Goyal and Harsa Goyal who were reportedly kept in Bangladesh by Indian insurgent groups, he said.

Misra said the BSF delegation further sought cooperation of BDR to prevent trans-border crimes including kidnapping, dacoity, theft, cattle lifting, breaching of border fence by Bangladeshi nationals and recommended action against those involved in uprooting and damaging of boundary pillars.

The problems of smuggling of arms from Bangladesh to India through powerful armed syndicate which enjoy the support of section of organized smugglers and mafia gangs of Bangladesh who are closely linked to militant groups of India operating through Bangladesh was also discussed.

The BDR delegation was led by Brigadier General S M Golam Rabbani, DDG BDR along with his Sector Commanders of Rangamati, Khagrachari, Comilla, Sylhet, Mymensingh and four staff officers.

Indo-Bangla border disputes yet to be solved

The failure of the Government of India to settle the problems of adverse possessions and enclaves along the international boundary with Bangladesh since Independence has posed serious hurdles in the way of proper border management and though regular meetings are held with the Bangladesh authorities, those problems are yet to be settled. Official sources pointed out that from time to time, the Indo-Bangladesh border areas witness clashes between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mainly because of the failure of the Government to settle the problems of adverse possessions and enclaves and there is urgent need for settling the disputes for proper border management.

Sources revealed that about 189 acres of Indian land is in adverse possession of Bangladesh in the Baraibari area of Dhubri district and the area witnessed violent clash between BSF and BDR in 2001, in which 16 BSF men were killed. Sources said that more than 380 acres of Indian land is in adverse possession of Bangladesh in the Barak valley, while , more than 200 acres of land is “disputed”. The disputed areas of Barak Valley also witness exchange of fire from time to time and early this year, Indian civilians were killed in firing by the BDR, which forced the villagers living in the bordering areas to flee from their homes to safer places.

Similarly, more than 200 acres of Indian land is under adverse possession of Bangladesh in Meghalaya and in that state, more than 500 acres of Bangladesh land is under adverse possession of India. The failure to settle the problem permanently resulted in skirmishes along the international border from time to time and official sources said that immediate steps should be taken to settle the disputes through discussions with Bangladesh Government for ensuring proper border management. Sources pointed out that shifting of the villagers living in the land under adverse possession of India and Bangladesh could be one of the solutions of the problem.

Coupled with the problem of land in adverse possession, the enclaves are also considered as problem areas. Sources revealed that some island like pockets of India and Bangladesh exist within the territories of each other and those are called enclaves. The largest of the enclaves is in Cooch Behar area of West Bengal as there are 111 enclaves of India within Bangladesh covering an area of 17158 acres and 51 Bangladesh enclaves within India covering an area of 7110 acres. Sources pointed out that administration of the enclaves by the respective countries is not feasible. The enclaves are not developed and there is no law and order machinery. Due to lack of infrastructure, the people living in the enclaves are forced to resort to illegal activities like smuggling for their survival. Official sources said that because of lack of proper administration, the enclaves became safe sanctuaries for the anti national elements including militants and it is also reported that the enclaves are used for human trafficking.

Sources pointed out that exchange of enclaves could be one of the solutions of the problem and the issue should be dealt with immediately to avoid incidents like those occurred in Pyrdwah in Meghalaya and Boraibari in Mankachar in 2001. There were instances when Indian citizens were forcibly driven away from the Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and those issues should be taken up in diplomatic level without any further delay, sources added.

The Government of India should also deal with the problems faced by the people living along the international border, whose cultivable land is located across the border fencing, which has been constructed 150 metres inside the border. These people have to go across the fencing to cultivate their land every morning and they have to return in the evening before the gates in the fencing are closed. These people should be given proper photo identity cards. The worse is the condition of the villagers whose houses are located across the fencing as they are cut off from their own countries for the night. At least 10 villages in Karimganj district are located across the fencing and official sources admitted that there is urgent need for rehabilitating the inmates elsewhere for their security

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