Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner Md. Nural Islam leaves from the South Block after he was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs over border-related issues, in New Delhi on January 13, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday (January 13, 2024) summoned the Head of Mission at the High Commission of Bangladesh to convey that fencing works on the India-Bangladesh border was being carried out in accordance with “all protocols and agreements”.
The conversation took place a day after Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin expressed “deep concern” to Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma about the construction works by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the border.
“India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking. Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border,” said the MEA in a press note, after the Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Md. Nural Islam, met the Joint Secretary in-charge of Bangladesh and Myanmar division in the Ministry, B. Shyam, at the South Block.
Bangladesh had conveyed to Mr. Verma that the construction of barbed wire fences on at least five locations along the Indo-Bangladesh border was “unauthorised” and had “caused tensions and disturbances along the border”.
Questions 2015 pact
The Adviser of Home Affairs of Bangladesh, Jehangir Alam Chowdhury, had, in addition, referred to the border agreements between India and Bangladesh as “unequal”, casting doubt on the Land Boundary Agreement of 2015 that was concluded between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then PM Sheikh Hasina.
Responding to Dhaka’s accusations, the MEA said, “It was conveyed that with regard to security measures at the border, including fencing, India observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and the Border Guard Bangladesh.
The latest spat intensified after Mr. Chowdhury addressed a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday where he blamed India for carrying out constructions along the border without following due procedures. The interim government of Bangladesh has also been campaigning to reduce alleged incidents of fatal shooting by the BSF that is said to have caused civilian casualties in the recent years.
During Sunday’s meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin had raised the recent killing of a Bangladeshi citizen in Sunamganj.
Land and river water row
The India-Bangladesh border was considered a “settled” matter, especially after the Land Boundary Agreement was signed on June 6, 2015, for which Mr. Modi had travelled to Dhaka. However, the latest comments from Bangladesh has reopened the border debate between the two sides. Land and sharing of river waters have been a lingering issue between the two sides, and Bangladesh has been demanding its share of the Teesta’s waters.
In response to Mr. Chowdhury’s allegation of “unequal” border treaties, the MEA said, “India conveyed its expectation that all earlier understandings will be implemented by Bangladesh and that there will be a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes.”
The India-Bangladesh border has been under the focus of security agencies since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024. In late August 2024, Awami League leader Ishfaq Ali Khan Panna was found dead inside Meghalaya amidst suspicion that he was chased and killed by his political rivals.
Published – January 13, 2025 03:24 pm IST
