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At the border, people are ‘lured’ into crime

BGB officials also disclosed that on the issue of deployment of forces on either sides of the border, they are less in number as compared to the BSF.

At the border, people are ‘lured’ into crime

Photo: SNS

Some residents of villages along the Indo-Bangladesh border are being lured by a section of the people and made to take up illegal activities, according to officials of the Border Guard of Bangladesh.

“Involvement in unlawful activities depends on the character of those involved in illegal activities. We are trying hard to prevent them from being involved in crime. We are also trying to identify the vulnerable and illegal activity-prone areas. In case of any difficulties and even threat, we share information with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). We do joint patrolling with the BSF for administrative and operational purposes,” the Thakurgaon Sector Commander of the BGB, Col Arefin, told journalists of both the countries as they toured the border areas.

Notably, a 14-member delegation of the Indian media, along with those from Bangladesh, visited the Dharmagarh areas, opposite Islampur in North Dinajpur in India, under the leadership of Col Arefin recently.

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Col Arefin welcomed the Indian team at Fulbari-Banglabandha and made all arrangements in Thakurgaon, while he was there to witness a beating retreat ceremony held by the BSF and the BGB at Banglabandha as the media teams returned. “The objective of the joint patrolling is to increase dependency, know each other and foster good relations between the two forces as well as the two countries,” Col Arefin said, adding, “The situation has changed and is controlled, and now it is better as compared to the earlier days.”

“It is a challenging job to identify the persons, based on their track records, and bring them into the mainstream. We have taken initiatives and brought many of them back to the mainstream, so as to combat the menace. The younger generation is now joining hands to make the project-Alokito Simanto, a success,” he added.

According to BGB records, 102 members of 23 families have been engaged in cattle, poultry and mushroom farming, and 168 members of 36 families are engaged in biogas plant and manufacturing organic composed fertilizer. A total of 59 students, including 20 girls, were imparted computer courses, while 169 female candidates were trained on sewing.

Significantly, the chief of the BGB’s North West Region headquarters, Brig Gen Jalal Goni Khan, during interaction with the Indian media at Rangpur on 15 July, showcased the photographs of some Phensedyl (cough syrup) factories and godowns in the Indian part.

BGB officials claimed Phensedyl factories and depots are located at Dinhata in Cooch Behar and Gangarampur in South Dinajpur, Raghunathganj, Dhonirampur and Lalgola in Murshidabad district, Kuripara in Jalpaiguri and Goalpukur in South Dinajpur, and they appealed to the Indian side to take action against them. Notably, Goalpakhar is located in North Dinajpur in the Indian part. Interestingly, smugglers in the Indian part supply fake Phensedyl to meet the demand in the Bangladesh part, officials said.

The BGB also claimed that it seized 582223 bottles of the cough syrup in between 2016 and June 2019. In 2018, the number was 171587 bottles and it is 109961 till 30 June this year. One the other hand, BGB seized 105.021 kg of heroin and 333 arms since 2016, BGB officials said.

BGB officials also disclosed that on the issue of deployment of forces on either sides of the border, they are less in number as compared to the BSF.

According to BGB’s presentation, 15 Battalions under four sectors are guarding the border under the North West Region, while the BSF has deployed 34 Battalions under the nine sectors controlled by three Frontier Headquarters in South Bengal and North Bengal in West Bengal and Guwahati in Assam. Sources said the BGB will also increase its strength in the future.

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