The Meghalaya government has urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to persuade Bangladesh to allow fencing to be constructed closer to the zero line of the international border, in a bid to protect vulnerable villages along a 40-km unfenced stretch.
Under current Indo-Bangladesh border management norms, fencing is erected 150 yards inside Indian territory to comply with bilateral agreements.
However, this standard placement often leaves villages and farmland stranded outside the fence, creating a “no man’s land” where residents remain exposed to cross-border crime, infiltration, and smuggling.
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the state wants this rule relaxed for specific high-risk areas.
The renewed push follows a recent incident in Rongdangai village in West Jaintia Hills, where six members of an armed gang—allegedly led by a Bangladeshi police constable—crossed the border, assaulted a shopkeeper, and looted cash and valuables.
One of the gang members allegedly hurled explosives before fleeing back into Bangladesh.
Authorities have since instructed all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to tighten vigil from East Jaintia Hills to Dalu in Garo Hills. Joint operations by the Border Security Force (BSF), Meghalaya Police, and Village Defence Parties (VDPs) are underway to intercept infiltration routes and track down any remaining gang members on Indian soil.
While Meghalaya’s 443-km-long border with Bangladesh is mostly fenced, several segments remain open due to difficult terrain, local objections, or the presence of settlements close to the boundary.
These gaps have historically been exploited for illegal migration, cattle smuggling, and narcotics trafficking.
“Their intention is very clear—to rob,” he said, adding that security forces remain on high alert under a BSF “operation alert” framework,
“With close coordination, we will be able to overcome these challenges,” he said.
The state has submitted a detailed incident report to the MHA, which is expected to be part of the case for closer fencing.