Dhaka: The 56th Director General (DG)-level border conference between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India's Border Security Force (BSF) officially began this morning at the BGB's Pilkhana Headquarters. The four-day meeting is a significant event aimed at addressing various bilateral and border-related issues between the neighboring countries.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bangladesh delegation is led by BGB DG Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, comprising 21 members, including senior officials from several Bangladeshi governmental departments such as the Office of the Chief Adviser, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others. The Indian delegation, led by BSF DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary, includes 11 members with officials from the Indian Home and External Affairs Ministries and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
The conference, which will conclude on August 28, is set to focus on crucial topics such as preventing border killings, push-ins, illegal infiltrations, and the smuggling of drugs, arms, and other contraband. The discussions will also cover preventing unauthorized infrastructure construction near the international border, preserving border river banks, and ensuring a fair share of border river water. There will be emphasis on joint initiatives for implementing the Integrated Border Management Plan.
Additionally, efforts will be made to ease tension caused by recent anti-Bangladesh propaganda in the Indian media. The conference will delve into bilateral issues and other topics related to border interests. This meeting follows the last BGB-BSF DG-level conference held in Delhi in February, with Dhaka hosting this session to continue the dialogue. The BGB aims to prioritize the interests of the nation and its people during these discussions.