Security arrangements have increased at the Indo-Bangladesh border after the fall of the government in Bangladesh. More BSF jawans have been deployed at the four locations of the Indo–Bangladesh border. BSF Director General (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary Visited North 24 – Parganas, District for an inspection of security measures.
On Monday, Indian Government deployed more security jawans at Petrapole North 24 Parganas, Hili in South Dinajpur, Changrabandha in Cooch Behar & Fulbari in Jalpaiguri. This increase in security measures came immediately after Sheikh Hasina resigned from the position of Prime Minister & fled from the country amid violence.
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BSF DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary along with Additional Director General Ravi Gandhi & Inspector General Maninder PS Pawar visited the North 24 – Parganas district of West Bengal and reviewed the security measures. DG visited the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Petrapole where he reviewed passenger cargo terminals. DG also inspected the Ranaghat border outpost one of the sensitive areas.
Heightened Security
The security measures heightened at the Indo–Bangladesh order due to the risk of infiltration and smuggling seeing the violence that erupted in Bangladesh on the reservation in government jobs there is a risk of illegal activities from the other side.
DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary met the officers and briefed them about the necessary measures to tackle the challenges. He encouraged the jawans and urged them to prepare and be alert for any threat from the other side and emergencies. A meeting was held of the officers of BSF’s 8th battalion and 107th battalion of South Bengal frontier with the West Bengal Government officials and people of villages near border.
At the border outposts of Uttarpara and Mustafapur village meeting was held with the 107th battalion of the South Bengal frontier.
In the meeting, villagers were advised for their safety to not move during the night in the border areas and on the International Border Road. In the meeting, it was decided that the market shops would be closed by 9 PM and an announcement to not go near the border would be made from the mosques of the village. For any essential work, the farmers were instructed to use the gates only.
Other key issues discussed in the meeting were the tall corps management dumbing off jute by civilians near the border and fencing unfenced areas of the border.
Bilateral Trade halted
156 trucks via Petrapole and 140 trucks via Mahadipur entered the neighboring country Bangladesh in the morning but as the situation changed and became unsafe for trade the trades were halted in North 24 Parganas, Changrabandha, Fulbari, Mahadipur, and Hili.
The trucks containing perishable items were halted in all the land ports. In the evening 190 trucks returned to India via Changrabandha after they were halted they were halted at the Bangladesh border. Before this exporters & cleaning agents were concerned about their goods, vehicles, and drivers who were stuck in Bangladesh.
There is heavy deployment of security personnel in the unfenced and riverine borders. These are vulnerable areas and now there is one Jawan for every 10 meters.
Fulbari and Petrapole are two border areas that are crucial. Fulbari in Siliguri is part of the ‘Chicken Neck’ corridor which connects the North Eastern States of India to the rest of India. It has Nepal and Bangladesh on its sides.
About Author
Devansh Das pursuing bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from VIPS-TC. He writes on national issues and on issues which directly or indirectly concerns the interest of the public.
