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Bengal

Plugging gaps: BSF, BGB join hands to ensure crime-free international borders

Fulbari (Indo – Bangladesh border): A Director General level coordination meeting between the BSF and Border Guards Bangladesh (BRB) in Dhaka resolved to earmark borders and work jointly to make these areas crime free. As a confidence-building measure between the two forces, borders will also earmark where joint retreat ceremonies will be held.
"The DG level talks ended in Dhaka on Friday. We discussed issues including peace and ending criminal activities along the border. Like the Kolkata-Khulna border has been declared crime free with no antecedents of crime, similarly, other border stretches will be identified to make them crime free. We will work jointly to achieve this. Already incidents of smuggling is on declining steadily," stated Krishan Kumar Sharma, DG, BSF addressing the media at the Fulbari – Banglabandha border, 9 km away from Siliguri after the 5-day-long Dhaka meet.
The Kolkata-Khulna crime free border has been possible with additional deployment, increase in technical and surveillance equipment and above all sensitising the people living along the border, stated Sharma.
Major General Md. Shafeenul Islam, DG, BGB was also present. Both the DGs jointly inaugurated the Joint Retreat Ceremony of the BSF and BGB at Fulbari – Banglabandha border on Friday.
"It is a proud moment for both the forces and is a projection of the cordial relation enjoyed by both the countries and forces. In future, we will definitely have more such ceremonies in other places as part of the confidence building for both the forces," stated the Major General.
Sharma added: "As part of our Sima Darshan programme, we will identify borders in each frontier for similar Retreat Ceremonies. These spots will be developed so that they attract tourists too." Facilities and infrastructure at Fulbari will be developed to promote it as a tourist hub. Construction of a parking lot, visitors' gallery, food court and a museum is in the pipeline. The 20-minute programme can be witnessed every day at sunset.
The ceremony at Fulbari-Banglabandha is third in the series of such ceremonies on the Indo-Bangla border. The first such ceremony had commenced at Petrapole-Benapole border on November 6, 2013, followed by Akhaura near Agartala.
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