Dhaka attack: MHA reviews security of Indo-Bangladesh Border

New Delhi: In the wake of the recent terror attack in Dhaka, the Ministry of Home Affairs has reviewed the security of Indo-Bangladesh Border.  A meeting was held in the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday with senior officials of five bordering States i.e. Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. The meeting was chaired by Border Management Secretary Susheel Kumar and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also gave his guidance to the states towards the end of the meeting. Secretary (BM) reviewed the situation in the light of heightened threat perception of infiltration. Issues of concern relating to the civil and police administration discussed in the meeting included non-registration of FIRs in some States, arrest and investigation, charge sheet and conviction in border crimes, problem of forged identity cards, cattle smuggling, cultivation of poppy in border areas, cross border terrorism and smuggling. The issues related to fencing of border were also discussed. After detailed discussions, an Institutional Mechanism was agreed according to which DGPs of all bordering States will hold monthly meetings with IGs of BSFs in charge of that State regularly for effective coordination at State level, to enhance security along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). This forum will ensure that FIRs are lodged by State police based on the complaints filed by BSF leading to arrest, investigation, charge sheet and conviction in border crimes. A task force headed by DGP, West Bengal with ADG (Border), Assam and IGs of North Bengal, South Bengal and Guwahati Frontier of BSF as its members has been created to strengthen the system at State level to identify the crime syndicate involved in Cross Border Crimes and to take action against such syndicates. The Task Force will submit its report within one month. In order to mitigate the problem of Indian villages located between fence and border and to enhance security along IBB, it was decided that fence will be shifted towards the zero line to bring Indian villages within the fence. The State Governments were asked to expedite land acquisition for Border Infrastructure works.