Amid the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) held 83 flag meetings with the Bangladeshi border guarding force BGB in the last three days and pressed on the need to ensure the safety of Indian citizens and minority communities in the region.
Other than this, the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had around 241 simultaneous coordinating patrolling in the vulnerable areas of the border region, officials said.
A high-level committee, set up by the Union Home Ministry to monitor the situation on the Indo-Bangladesh border, reached out to their counterparts in Dhaka and held a meeting on August 10.
An official said that the committee made the communication with their counterpart on the directions of the Director Geenral of the BSF as well.
To ensure reaching out to the Border Outpost and company commander levels, both the border forces held around 83 flag meetings at various levels during the last three days.
The BGB has not only been cooperation with the BSF on operational matters but is also taking measures to ensure safety of Indians and minority communities in Bangladesh along with their civil authorities, the official added.
BSF authorities also hailed the BGB's efforts in keeping Bangladeshi nationals from coming to the border.
Last week, around 1500 Bangladeshi nationals had gathered near the zero line on the Coochbehar-Lalmonirhat district border inside Bangladesh, wherein the BGB and civil authorities persuaded them to go back.
The two border guarding forces also discussed bilateral field meetings, border security matters and other mutual interests in these meetings, news agency PTI reported.
Additionally, BSF local commanders have also come up with channels for effective coordination with the BGB, to share real-time information on various operational matters with the force.
As many as 232 meetings have also been held with the Indian villagers living along the international border to keep them apprised on the ongoing situation in Bangladesh and to seek their cooperation in managing the border.
The officials said that the BSF and BGB are in active communication at all levels through the available channels to monitor the security situation and be prepared for any unforeseen circumstance along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The unrest in Bangladesh came after Sheikh Hasina stepped down as the Prime Minister and fled Dhaka amid growing student protests and violence, leading to the formation of an interim government which is now led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The high-level committee, headed by Additional Director General rank officer of the BSF, was formed by the Narendra Modi government to August 9 to monitor the border situation in the wake of the ongoing tensions in Dhaka.
The committee aims at ensuring the safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus and other minority communities residing in Bangladesh.
