BDR-BSF Talks End
Two sides agree to resolve major disputes thru' talks
Staff Correspondent, Sylhet
A regional level Indo-Bangladesh Border conference ended in Shillong yesterday with officials of both the countries agreed to resolve the major disputes through discussions and timely actions. The two sides however, agreed that some issues would be raised at the higher level for mutually acceptable solution, said an official on return home.The 4-day-long Deputy Director-General level meeting between the BDR and the BSF began in Shillong on August 28. BDR DDG Brigadier-General SM Golam Rabbani led the Bangladesh side while Inspector General (IG) of BSF, Agartala SK Dutta led the Indian side. The BSF delegation included IG of Shillong JP Sinha and other senior officials. The BDR team included Sector Commanders of Mymensingh, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Comilla and Sylhet. Trans-border problems including illegal migration, border fencing, smuggling of explosives and firearms from Indian states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Assam into Bangladesh, killing of Bangladeshi nationals by the Indian border guards and armed civilians and harbouring of miscreants and other border crimes dominated the conference. The BDR officials denied the BSF allegation of using Bangladesh territories by Indian insurgents for unwanted activities. The Indian side agreed to take effective measures to stop smuggling of high-powered explosives and firearms to Bangladesh as the BDR raised the issue with highest importance and sought necessary assistance from BSF, said the official. BDR officials also raised the issue of killing Bangladeshi civilians by the Indian BSF and armed people while asking for immediate stopping of such incidents. The other agendas at the conference were smuggling of different contraband items including drugs and liquors, reconstruction of demolished or stolen border pillars, survey of the disputed lands and construction of barbed wire fence.
| 
