He said this in a written reply to the question of BJP MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar.
Photo: IANS
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that 1,647.696 km out of 2216.7 km border, which India shares with Bangladesh, has been covered with a fence.
He said this in a written reply to the question of BJP MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar.
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“Out of balance stretch of 569.004 km, which is yet to be covered by fence and other border infrastructure works, 112.780 km is non-feasible and 456.224 km is feasible. Out of 456.224 km of feasible IB (International Border) length in West Bengal, land for 77.935 km has been handed over to the executing agency. For the balance stretch of 378.289 km, land acquisition is yet to be initiated for 148.971 km by the State Government. The remaining land for 229.318 km is in various stages of land acquisition,” Rai said.
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MoS Home further informed the house that steps were being taken by the Centre to expedite the land acquisition process, including meetings and reviews on the issue with the Bengal government.
“Timely land acquisition payments as per norms are being released. Payment has already been made for 181.635 km. Illegal infiltration in the state of West Bengal during the last three years (from 01st January, 2023 to 31st July, 2025) is 3964,” the minister added.
The total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4096.7 km. The border with the neighbouring country lies along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
India’s fencing with Bangladesh has always been a sore spot.
In January, the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh had summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka and conveyed Dhaka’s deep concern over the attempts to construct barbed wire fencing.
India made it clear that it had followed all protocols and agreements between the two governments.
India began fencing in 1986 due to rising concerns about migration. India had made it clear that the barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures to secure the border against criminal activities.
The issue has become even more contentious after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime. The current dispensation does not share good ties with India and has leaned more towards Pakistan. In this context, the fencing of the borders is an even more important issue now.
Bangladesh argues that fining is a violation of the India-Bangladesh Guidelines for Border Authorities, under which no defence structures can be built within 150 yards of the zero line of the international border. India, on the other hand, says that a single fence along the border does not classify as a defence structure.
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