STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Despite various challenges, there have been no shortcomings on the part of the Border Security Force (BSF) in guarding the Indo-Bangladesh border. The BSF has also been maintaining cordial relations with the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and sharing inputs to check trans-border crime, said Sanjay Singh Gehlot, Inspector General, Frontier headquarter, BSF, Guwahati.
Addressing a press conference in the BSF Patgaon campus on Monday, Gehlot said that infiltration into India from across the border had been checked due to joint initiatives taken by the BSF and BGB. He said that the socio-religious-political dynamics of bordering districts of West Bengal and Assam differ from each other resulting in different security scenarios. Moreover, the geographical terrain of bordering districts like Coochbehar in West Bengal, Dhubri and South Salmara Mankachar in Assam also differs from each other. "It is a matter of pride that despite facing various challenges of complex border area mighty and volatile Brahmaputra, Frontier Guwahati has been executing its assigned task in an exemplary manner and has earned distinction in the matters of maintaining security and sanctity of the international border," he said.
Gehlot said that criminals involved in trans-border crimes keep changing their modus operandi. "To stay ahead of these criminals, we are also deploying modern technology-based surveillance systems to prevent criminal and illegal activities along the Indo-Bangladesh border. We are deploying new sensors, cameras, command control, drones and night vision equipment among other items to improve our border guarding capabilities. We are also replacing the old border fence and the new fence is not easy to cut open," he said.
During the period between January 26, 2021, to January 24, 2022, BSF Guwahati Frontier has made total seizure worth more than Rs 11 crore consisting of cattle heads, phensedyl, Yaba tablets, ganja and other items. Total 8,125 cattle were rescued, 32,844 Phensydyl bottles, 3630.71 kg ganja, 45,897 Yaba tablets, and fake Indian currency notes of the value of Rs 3,98,000 were seized. The number of Indian smugglers apprehended during this period is 141 while 117 Bangladeshi smugglers were arrested.
"BSF has improved relationship substantially with Border Guards Bangladesh through various confidence-building measures. Under mutual exchange programme, officers and other ranks of both the forces are visiting each other for training purpose better synergy between both the border guarding forces," said Gehlot. Day and night SCPs (Simultaneous Coordinated Patrols) are being carried out by BSF and Border Guarding Bangladesh (BGB), he added.
BSF also distributed masks, sanitisers and provided medical advice and support to the population all along BSF deployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Massive COVID vaccination drives were also undertaken at various BSF locations under Guwahati Frontier.
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