close_game
close_game

Good fences for good neighbours

ByHT Editorial
Jan 13, 2025 08:16 PM IST

Tensions rise at the India-Bangladesh border as India fences to curb smuggling, urging cooperation with Bangladesh to tackle transnational crime.

The escalation of tensions along the India-Bangladesh border in recent days is yet another reflection of the low point to which bilateral ties have fallen under the current caretaker administration in Dhaka. Bangladesh’s expression of concern over India’s efforts to fence the international boundary to stem smuggling and other transnational crimes is misplaced, especially since there have been several attempts by smugglers and traffickers from the Bangladeshi side to transgress the border over the past week amidst attacks on Indian border guards. At a meeting with Bangladesh’s foreign secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin to discuss the border tensions, Indian envoy Pranay Verma pointed out that New Delhi is committed to ensuring a crime-free boundary and tackling the challenges posed by smugglers and criminals. In this context, the Indian envoy sought a cooperative approach to fighting crimes and called for implementing agreements on border management.

A Border Security Force (BSF) official walks into a Border Outpost (BOP), a self-contained defence outpost situated near the India-Bangladesh international border in Petrapole, India, October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Sahiba Chawdhary (REUTERS) PREMIUM
A Border Security Force (BSF) official walks into a Border Outpost (BOP), a self-contained defence outpost situated near the India-Bangladesh international border in Petrapole, India, October 16, 2024. REUTERS/Sahiba Chawdhary (REUTERS)

One of the key aims of the agreement to fence the India-Bangladesh border is cracking down on smuggling and streamlining the legitimate movement of goods and people. The Indian side has already fenced three-fourths of the total border running more than 4,000 km. A challenging geography — large rivers that periodically flood and keep shifting their course, for instance — and the long stretches that remain to be fenced have made the exercise tedious and prolonged. Stray incidents of violence, including firing, are periodically reported from along the border, especially in West Bengal. There are mechanisms in place to address these issues, and if necessary, these can be revisited to make them work more effectively. New Delhi and Dhaka have covered a lot of ground in this area in the past few decades, including settling the conundrum of enclaves and amicably resolving their maritime boundary in 2014. India is well within its rights to construct fencing in porous sections of the border to prevent transnational crimes; any outstanding issues can be addressed in the upcoming talks between the heads of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

It would be foolish to undo all the achievements of the past and create another point of dispute in a relationship that is already weighed down because of the new political dynamics in Dhaka. More than addressing the immediate irritants on the border, the two sides need to take further steps to arrest the slide in the overall relationship and prevent new areas of divergence.

rec-icon Recommended Topics
Share this article
Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! -Login Now!
See More
Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! -Login Now!

For evolved readers seeking more than just news

Subscribe now to unlock this article and access exclusive content to stay ahead
E-paper | Expert Analysis & Opinion | Geopolitics | Sports | Games
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, February 06, 2025
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On