Bangladesh violence: Union government sets up panel to monitor situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border

The Union government has set up a panel to monitor the situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border following the recent developments in the neighbouring country. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah disclosed the latest development in a post on X (formally Twitter) on August 9. “In the wake of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Modi government has constituted a committee to monitor the current situation on the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). The committee will maintain communication channels with their counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus, and other minority communities living there,” Shah wrote. 

The committee will be headed by the ADG, Border Security Force, Eastern Command, the home minister said. 

The Border Security Force (BSF) deployed along the international border has identified districts, which are most vulnerable due to the ongoing situation in Bangladesh. Intelligence inputs have also been provided to the force regarding areas that could be used by Bangladeshi nationals to enter India illegally. 

Many of the vulnerable areas are in West Bengal, as it shares the largest border area, followed by Meghalaya and Tripura. 

In a first incident of infiltration attempt after the unrest in Bangladesh, about 500 people from the neighbouring country tried to enter India through Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, the Indian Express reported on August 8. The attempt was thwarted by BSF, which has been on high alert after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled Dhaka. 

A state of high alert has been declared to address potential security threats, with commanders at all levels directed to maintain the utmost vigilance and readiness to handle any unforeseen circumstances. They have been instructed to maintain a continuous (24x7) watch on the border, with increased personnel and the formation of quick response teams.

The Indo-Bangladesh international border spans 4,096 kilometres, with 936.415 kilometres under the jurisdiction of the BSF’s North Bengal Frontier, covering five districts of West Bengal from Dakshin Dinajpur to Cooch Behar.

The North Bengal Frontier has deployed a total of 18 BSF battalions under four BSF sectors, all of which are now on high alert. Surveillance at all Land Custom Stations (LCS) has also intensified.