CM Adhikari to hold review meeting on India-Bangladesh border fencing issue today
Kolkata, June 12
Several crucial border-related issues are set to be discussed at an administrative review meeting to be chaired by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari later on Friday concerning Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur, with all four districts having international borders with neighbouring Bangladesh.
According to insiders from the state secretariat of Nabanna, the main agenda of the meeting is to review the progress of land handover to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the erection of barbed fencing there.
At the same time, the issue of coordination between the state police and the BSF for preventing illegal infiltration from Bangladesh will also come up for discussion at the administrative review meeting, sources said.
The second major agenda of the meeting is the perennial problem of riverbank erosion in Malda and Murshidabad districts resulting in massive loss of property every year. The issue of flood control in both districts before the monsoon will also be discussed at the administrative review meeting.
Since taking charge last month, CM Adhikari has taken up the task of handing over land to the BSF for erection of barbed fencing at unfenced borders on a priority basis. The official land handover process started on May 20 with 27 kilometres of land.
India's total international border with Bangladesh is 4,096.7 kilometres, out of which little over 2,000 kilometres are in West Bengal. Again, in West Bengal, around 1,600 kilometres of borders have barbed fencing, while the remaining around 600 kilometres are unfenced.
CM Adhikari has repeatedly claimed that the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime deliberately avoided the process of land handover to the BSF to allow illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and ensure their participation in the 'dedicated' vote bank of the previous ruling party.
Recently, the state government also decided not to produce the illegal infiltrators arrested within the state's border in the courts and instead sent them first to holding centres and then to BSF's border outposts for push-back to Bangladesh.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Riverbank erosion affects lakhs of families in Malda and Murshidabad every year. While fencing is important, I hope the CM doesn't forget these people who lose their homes and farms every monsoon. They need flood control measures urgently too.
The push-back policy is controversial. Sending people back without court proceedings? That's a slippery slope legally. We need border security but within the framework of law. What about human rights concerns?
The previous government's inaction on border fencing is now coming to light. Our national security cannot be compromised for vote bank politics. Appreciate the transparency on how much land is unfenced - 600 km is way too much.
Coordination between state police and BSF is key. Our borders are porous and illegal trade and smuggling thrive because of gaps. But we need a balanced approach - not just fencing but also better intelligence sharing between agencies.
27 km land handover in one go on May 20 is a good start. At this pace, we can secure the remaining 600 km in a couple of years. The political will matters a lot. Earlier governments just paid lip service to border security.
Riverbank erosion got a mention
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