NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha that the border guarding force (BSF) has apprehended 2,601 Bangladeshi nationals who had attempted to enter the Indian side in the last 13 months beginning January 1, 2024.
In a written reply to a question in the House, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai shared the year-wise details of 2,601 Bangladeshis who were apprehended.
According to the data, 176 Bangladeshi intruders were apprehended in January 2025, as the Border Security Force (BSF) - mandated to guard the India-Bangladesh borders - remained vigilant in its mission to curb illegal activities along the border, the Minister said.
Reflecting on the past 12 months in 2024, the data presented in the House revealed apprehension of 253 Bangladeshis in December, followed by 310 in November, 331 in October, 300 in September, 214 in August, 267 in July, and 247 in June - indicating fluctuations in illegal crossings from Bangladesh.
However, May 2024 recorded the lowest number of apprehensions at just 32. The figures stood at 91 in April, 118 in March, 124 in February, and 138 in January last year.
In his reply, Rai said that the government has strengthened Indo-Bangladesh border security through “advanced surveillance, increased manpower, and technological integration.”
He said, “The measures include surveillance equipment such as Hand-Held Thermal Imagers (HHTI), Night Vision Devices (NVD), UAVs, CCTV/PTZ cameras, IR sensors, and the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) pilot in Dhubri (Assam).”
The Minister went on to add: “At the operational level, continuous patrolling, nakas (checkpoints), observation posts, and joint operations with local police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) are being done the borders. Border areas are illuminated using floodlights and solar lights, while riverine areas are secured using boats and floating Border Out Posts (BOPs). Intelligence networks have also been reinforced to track touts, and border fencing has been upgraded with additional barriers in sensitive zones.”
He further highlighted that community engagement, including local meetings, deployment of dog squads, extensive vehicle patrolling, and 15 BSF-led Anti-Human Trafficking Units, further strengthens security efforts.
“The BSF engages with the BGB at various levels as per the Joint India-Bangladesh Guidelines-1975. Additionally, a Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP), signed in 2011 between BSF and BGB, facilitates meetings between BSF-BGB Nodal Officers,” Rai noted.
The MoS also informed the Rajya Sabha about various measures taken to enhance the BSF’s effectiveness, such as establishing observation posts, increasing personnel, constructing border fencing, and installing floodlights along the border.
Other measures include deploying watercraft and boats, setting up floating Border Out Posts (BOPs) to dominate riverine areas, using advanced surveillance equipment such as HHTIs, NVDs, Twin Telescopes, and UAVs, upgrading intelligence setups, and improving coordination with state governments and intelligence agencies.
