POBNEWS24, Dhaka Jan 12, 2025 : Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (retd) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that the construction of barbed wire fence along the border with India has been forced to stop due to the strong stance of the BGB and local residents.
The advisor made this statement at a press conference on the Bangladesh-India border situation at the Secretariat on Sunday (January 12).
The Home Affairs Advisor said that India has recently started constructing barbed wire fences at five places along the border, and that India has been forced to stop work at those places due to the strong stance of the BGB and local people.
Stating that four memorandums of understanding have been signed so far with Bangladesh and India on border demarcation and with the border guards of both countries, the advisor said, ‘Among these were – no one will be able to do any work that has defense potential within 150 yards of the border. If any development work is to be done within 150 yards of the zero line, they will have to take close consent from each other. They will not be able to do this work without consent.’
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “The Indian authorities have already fenced 3,271 kilometers of the existing 4,156-kilometer border between Bangladesh and India with barbed wire. The remaining 885 kilometers are remaining.”
He said, “During the previous government’s tenure from 2010 to 2023, India did some unfair things on the border, which India should not have done, but our previous government gave us that opportunity.”
“This opportunity includes 160 places where they have erected barbed wire fences, there is trouble there. There is another problem in 78 places. Now there is trouble in five places. Chapainawabganj, Lalmonirhat’s three-bigha corridor, Naogaon’s Patnitala, Feni, Kushtia and Comilla have recently faced trouble (over the construction of barbed wire fences).”
Stating that there was a discussion between the BGB and BSF regarding the construction of the barbed wire fence, he said, “Because our BGB took a very strong stance, they (India) were forced to stop work from this place (construction of the barbed wire fence). But there is a big problem here – since the previous government had given written permission in some places. They can do this in this place, they can do that in that place. Which they should not have given.”
The advisor said, “Our people have taken a very strong stand with the BGB in various places, which has forced them to stop working in other places. I thank the BGB and the people of Bangladesh for their strong stand. Local journalists have fully supported us in this regard.”
“We are in contact with India, we have also informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may also call the Indian High Commissioner to discuss what to do about this.”
Regarding the current situation at the border, the advisor said, “Work is stopped. All the places where work had started are closed.”
He said, ‘We will not allow these things to happen.’
Stating that there has been a big problem in the three bigha corridor of Lalmonirhat, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “When the Berubari agreement was signed in 1974, we gave Berubari. Our parliament ratified it. But India was supposed to give us the passage to go to the three bigha corridor. They will give it to us for life. We gave it, but they did not ratify it in parliament, they did not give us the space. They would open it for one hour, close it for one hour, open it for 6 hours, close it for 6 hours, it would be completely closed at night.”
“An agreement was made in 2010, it said that the corridor would be open 24 hours a day, we could use it. Instead, a big problem was created that
they could put a barbed wire fence over our place in Angrapota-Dahgram above the zero line. They couldn’t do it within 150 yards. That’s why there is a big problem there. When they go to build a fence there, we stop it, but legally we don’t have the authority to stop it. Since we have already signed. If we are too strict there, they will again cause problems in entering.”
Stating that there will be a meeting at the Director General level of BGB-BSF next month (February 16), the advisor said, “These will be discussed and discussed so that the works can be stopped.”
On whether we are increasing our strength at the border, the advisor said, “We have a lot of strength at the border. The people are my biggest strength.”
In response to a question, he said, “We are in a tough position. We will not give them space, we are tough. They will try to create problems in different places. We will solve those problems by any means, through trickery and tactics.”
A letter will be sent to cancel the Assam agreement.
You said that the previous government had made an Assam agreement with India with some benefits. Regarding whether those benefits will be canceled or not, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, ‘That is why our Director General is leaving in February. We will also give them a letter. So that the Assam agreements that were made can be dropped.’
The Home Affairs Advisor is also optimistic that this problem will be resolved.
When asked about the incident of a businessman being beaten up on Elephant Road, the Home Affairs Advisor said, “Incidents happen occasionally. Earlier, there was not so much media, now if there is a noise, you know about it. Earlier, there was not so much publicity. We are benefiting from you informing us about this. We are taking action immediately. If you had not informed us, it might have increased.”
