New Delhi, September 27
India and Bangladesh today favoured implementing certain Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), including increased coordinated patrolling and Wagah border-type ‘retreat ceremony’ at some identified border outposts in the Indo-Bangla border, to defuse tension and skirmishes between the two countries’ border guarding forces.
The two sides, however, struck to their stated positions on the existence of militant training camps and sheltering of militants in each other’s country even as the Indian side handed over a list of 172 insurgent training camps in that country, demanding that they be dismantled.
The two border forces, which began their three-day biannual Director General-level meeting here, discussed the issue of fencing by India which is opposed by Bangladesh and deliberated upon ways to keep the situation along the 4095-km border calm.
“We have proposed certain CBMs like increased coordinated patrolling, Wagah-border type retreat ceremony and training of BDR personnel in BSF training centre,” BSF Director-General R.S. Mooshahary, flanked by his BDR counterpart General Jehangir Alam Choudhury, said after calling on Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
Mr Mooshahary said the two sides had also agreed that skirmishes like the recent one in the Malda area of West Bengal should be avoided.
“The Bangladesh side also agreed with our viewpoint on this,” he said.
Today’s talks covered fencing and checking of cross-border migration and smuggling, the BSF chief said, adding that informal talks would continue tomorrow and a final joint statement would be inked by the two sides the next day.
Meanwhile, sources said the Indian side handed over an updated list of 172 camps of North-East insurgent groups existing in Bangladesh, 18 less than that cited by India during the last meeting with BDR six months back, and demanded these be closed.
When asked about militant camps in Bangladesh, the BDR chief shot back, saying, “Both sides have made certain claims on the existence of militant camps and sheltering of militants in each other’s country... In fact, criminals have no nationality.”
However, Mr Choudhury stressed that “Bangladesh will not allow anyone to use its soil against India.”
On increased coordinated patrolling by the BSF and BDR personnel, the BDR chief said, “We are in favour of it, but the difficulty is that we do not have adequate forces to cover the entire Indo-Bangla border.”
