Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury stated that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) remains on high alert along the Bangladesh-India border. He revealed that due to the firm stance of the BGB and local residents, India has been compelled to halt the construction of barbed wire fencing along several parts of the border.

The advisor made these comments during a press briefing at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Sunday morning. He explained that although India had started the fencing work at five border locations recently, the determined resistance from both the BGB and local communities forced India to suspend the construction at these sites.

Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury expressed gratitude to the residents of the bordering districts for their unity in protesting the installation of the border fence alongside the BGB. He commended their efforts in standing up against this project.

He further elaborated that the BGB has been in regular communication with the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to address the ongoing situation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been informed, and they are expected to take swift diplomatic action regarding the matter.

The advisor highlighted that under the previous government, several unfair agreements had been made regarding the border fence, and a decision has now been taken to cancel those agreements. He also mentioned that a meeting between the Directors-General of BGB and BSF would be held in February to discuss the issue further.

According to the advisor, there are a total of four agreements signed between Bangladesh and India over the border demarcation and the responsibilities of the respective border forces.

He pointed out that the 1975 Bangladesh-India Joint Border Directives explicitly prohibit any construction within 150 yards of the zero line along the border. Furthermore, any development work within this area requires mutual consent between the two countries.

The advisor also revealed that out of the total 4,156 kilometers of the Bangladesh-India border, India has constructed barbed wire fencing along 3,271 kilometers, while no such fencing has been built along the remaining 885 kilometers.

In response to questions from journalists, the advisor assured that there is significant strength along the border, with both the BGB and local populations vigorously opposing any unlawful activities. He also stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would formally notify the Indian High Commission to ensure no adverse incidents occur at the border.

The press briefing was attended by the Prime Advisor’s Special Assistant Mohammad Khoda Bakhsh Chowdhury, Police Inspector General Baharul Alam, and BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui.