Kolkata/Cooch Behar: Fencing unplugged stretches of the India-Bangladesh border may not resume immediately to avoid tension between the two countries, BSF said on Friday.On Monday, amid growing infiltration concerns, tension flared up between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over the former's attempt to install single-row barbed wire fencing at Sukdevpur in Malda's Baishnabnagar, with the latter objecting to it. Work began for a short while on Tuesday but was stopped again in the afternoon following a flag meeting between the two agencies. It has not re-started since then."Since the fencing work is not urgent, we are keeping it suspended for some time to avoid unnecessary tension, conflict and confusion. It will start soon, but we are not setting any deadline," said a senior officer, BSF South Bengal Frontier.Sources said BSF deployment at this particular stretch of unfenced area has been intensified in the last two days, with camp offices being set closer to the international border and round-the-clock patrolling and surveillance.Some X handles maintained by Bangladesh online media outlets also shared visuals of sand and soil bunkers being built on the Bangladesh side of the area at Chapainawabganj village and BGB troops being strengthened. Some news channels even reported that Indians, who were tasked with fence construction work by BSF, had been threatened at the border at gunpoint two days ago, when work stalled."Several media outlets are trying to create further tension, but we reiterate that the border situation is under control at Baishnabnagar and that we have temporarily suspended work to avoid more tension," the BSF officer said.Bengal has a 2,216km boundary with Bangladesh, 50% of which remains unfenced, making it vulnerable to illicit cross-border activity. In Malda, of the 172km of the border, around 27km lacks proper fencing. The current dispute is over attempts to put barriers on 1,200 metres of unfenced area in Baishnabnagar village.Officers at BSF South Bengal Frontier said the work at Baishnabnagar started last year, but was put on hold when monsoon hit. "It is not new work. It was suspended for a few months because of unfavourable weather. Just as we resumed the work, we faced opposition from BGB. But we will resume work," said the officer.At the Dahagram border in Cooch Behar's Mekhliganj, a section of villagers were erecting a fence close to the international border when BGB personnel stopped the work and a tiff broke out between villagers and BGB.Villagers said they were erecting the fence themselves to prevent cattle from Bangladesh grazing into their fields and eating up their crops. A BSF team rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after ground-level dialogue with BGB officers.

Kolkata/Cooch Behar: Fencing unplugged stretches of the India-Bangladesh border may not resume immediately to avoid tension between the two countries, BSF said on Friday.On Monday, amid growing infiltration concerns, tension flared up between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over the former’s attempt to install single-row barbed wire fencing at Sukdevpur in Malda‘s Baishnabnagar, with […]

Fencing along Indo-B’desh border on hold to prevent tension: BSF

Kolkata/Cooch Behar: Fencing unplugged stretches of the India-Bangladesh border may not resume immediately to avoid tension between the two countries, BSF said on Friday.
On Monday, amid growing infiltration concerns, tension flared up between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over the former’s attempt to install single-row barbed wire fencing at Sukdevpur in Malda‘s Baishnabnagar, with the latter objecting to it. Work began for a short while on Tuesday but was stopped again in the afternoon following a flag meeting between the two agencies. It has not re-started since then.
“Since the fencing work is not urgent, we are keeping it suspended for some time to avoid unnecessary tension, conflict and confusion. It will start soon, but we are not setting any deadline,” said a senior officer, BSF South Bengal Frontier.
Sources said BSF deployment at this particular stretch of unfenced area has been intensified in the last two days, with camp offices being set closer to the international border and round-the-clock patrolling and surveillance.
Some X handles maintained by Bangladesh online media outlets also shared visuals of sand and soil bunkers being built on the Bangladesh side of the area at Chapainawabganj village and BGB troops being strengthened. Some news channels even reported that Indians, who were tasked with fence construction work by BSF, had been threatened at the border at gunpoint two days ago, when work stalled.
“Several media outlets are trying to create further tension, but we reiterate that the border situation is under control at Baishnabnagar and that we have temporarily suspended work to avoid more tension,” the BSF officer said.
Bengal has a 2,216km boundary with Bangladesh, 50% of which remains unfenced, making it vulnerable to illicit cross-border activity. In Malda, of the 172km of the border, around 27km lacks proper fencing. The current dispute is over attempts to put barriers on 1,200 metres of unfenced area in Baishnabnagar village.
Officers at BSF South Bengal Frontier said the work at Baishnabnagar started last year, but was put on hold when monsoon hit. “It is not new work. It was suspended for a few months because of unfavourable weather. Just as we resumed the work, we faced opposition from BGB. But we will resume work,” said the officer.
At the Dahagram border in Cooch Behar‘s Mekhliganj, a section of villagers were erecting a fence close to the international border when BGB personnel stopped the work and a tiff broke out between villagers and BGB.
Villagers said they were erecting the fence themselves to prevent cattle from Bangladesh grazing into their fields and eating up their crops. A BSF team rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after ground-level dialogue with BGB officers.