New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) The Border Security Force (BSF) has asked locals residing along the 4,096 km-long India-Bangladesh international border to not undertake unnecessary movement in the frontier areas especially during the night in the wake of the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka, officials said on Tuesday.
The border force has also asked all its units to “maintain an alert posture” all along the front that runs across West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).
BSF Director General (Acting) Daljit Singh Chawdhary continued his border tour for the second day as he visited the Petrapole land port station, the largest such facility in South Asia located at a distance of about 80 km from Kolkata.
The DG was accompanied by senior officers of the South Bengal Frontier of the force headquartered at Kolkata.
“The DG was informed about the available troop strength at the border posts and other procedures being undertaken to ensure that no illegal person crosses over this border, given the current developments in Bangladesh.
“It was directed to all the field commanders that the sanctity of the front should be maintained and instances of infiltration, cross-border crimes and smuggling should be dealt with strictly,” a senior officer told PTI.
He said the situation along the India-Bangladesh border is normal and added that the villagers and locals along the border areas in the five states have been asked to not undertake any unnecessary movement, especially during night.
These restrictions are already in place but now they are being reinforced further as the troops are on extra alert against any suspicious or criminal activity including illegal crossings, another officer from the eastern command of the BSF said.
The South Bengal Frontier said in a statement that coordination meetings were held with the local villagers at border outposts of Uttarpara and Mustafapur in Nadia district.
“The discussion focused on the prevailing situation after the change of power in Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi Army taking over. The BSF emphasised the need for vigilance to prevent infiltration and smuggling activities,” the spokesperson said.
The villagers, he said, were advised “not to move freely” in the border areas and on the International Boundary Border Road (IBBR) during night hours.
“It was also decided that all shops in the market should be closed by 2100 hrs (9 pm) and announcements would be made from mosques that villagers should stay away from the border areas.
“The farmers were instructed to use the gate only for essential work and were assured of immediate assistance from the BSF if required,” the spokesperson said.
The Frontier had said on Monday that the “number of troops deployed along the border has been increased” in view of the developments in Bangladesh.
The BSF has deployed about 87 battalions for the security of the entire border area as part of its six frontiers. PTI NES KSS KSS
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