NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) has identified 140 vulnerable locations along the Indo-Bangladesh border to check the influx of Rohingyas in collusion with organised criminal gangs.
BSF Director General KK Sharma said the paramilitary has deployed more security personnel and surveillance equipment to check the syndicates that help the Rohingyas to sneak into the Indo-Bangla border.
The issue was thoroughly discussed to check spillover effects of the fleeing Rohingya along the frontier during the five-day DG level talks between BSF and Border Guards Bangladesh that concluded on Thursday.
Sharma and the visiting BGB chief Maj Gen Abul Hossain addressed the media on Friday. The BGB delegation arrived here on October 2.
"We are both aware that the issue is very very serious as large number of Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh. You are very right in apprehending that the spillover effect of the Rohingyas crossing over to India is also very genuine. Both of us (BSF-BGB) have taken steps,” Sharma said.
The BSF DG further said, "The BGB has ensured that their (Rohingyas) movement is being regulated and they have mounted some 'nakas' and check posts on various routes to ensure that they do not cross over to our side."
"We are also in touch with our sister agencies, the intelligence agencies, to identify and take action against the touts. Because these people (Rohingyas) cannot come on their own. There are organised criminals on both the sides who assist in their crossing over to India. So, we are mounting the campaign against the touts," he said.
Apart from deploying additional personnel and equipment, the BSF is in touch with the BGB on a daily basis to share real-time Intelligence, he added.
The BGB DG said, "This is a problem in Myanmar and this is not our problem. Five lakh people have already come to Bangladesh. But, this is a problem for our country also as they(Rohingyas) cannot spread all over the country. Our government has taken a decision and the Rohingyas have been put in the Cox's Bazar district."
The BGB has identified the exit and entry points of the fleeing Rohingyas and the same are being guarded thoroughly, he added.
The next DG level talks will be held in in Dhaka in February/March 2018
Issues raised by BGB during the talks included injuries to Bangladesh nationals by BSF/Indian nationals, arrest/apprehension of Bangladeshi nationals by BSF, smuggling of firearms/ammunition/explosive etc. from India to Bangladesh. The BGB also raised the issue of smuggling of various types of drugs and phensedyl from India to Bangladesh.
The BSF raised the issues of prevention against attacks on BSF personnel by the Bangladeshi criminals, prevention of trans-border crimes and action against Indian insurgent groups operating from that country.