BSF, BGB talks begin; focus on trans-border crimes, better synergy

New Delhi: The border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh began their biannual talks here on Sunday with a focus on combating cross-frontier crimes and creating better synergy between them.

The four-day talks are taking place at a BSF camp in Chhawla here and will end on June 14.

A 15-member delegation of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), led by its director general (DG) Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan, landed in Delhi on Saturday. Border Security Force (BSF) acting DG Sujoy Lal Thaosen and senior officers of the force welcomed them at the airport, officials said.

In a statement issued earlier, a BSF spokesperson said, "The conference is being organised to discuss border-related issues and for better coordination between both border guarding forces." "Discussions will be held on how to jointly curb various trans-border crimes and timely sharing of information between the border guarding forces," the spokesperson said.

Further, there will be deliberations on developmental and infrastructural works, joint efforts for effective implementation of Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) and Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), the spokesperson said.

It is the 53rd edition of the talks and the last such meeting was held in July last year when the BSF delegation travelled to Dhaka.

The BSF guards the 4,096-km-long international border with Bangladesh on India's eastern flank.

These talks were held annually between 1975 and 1992 but they were made biannual in 1993 with either side alternately travelling to the national capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka.

A senior BSF officer had earlier told PTI that the relations between the two countries and their border forces are very good and the conference is expected to enhance these ties.

A "joint record of discussions" will be signed by the two sides at the end of the conference. PTI NES SMN SMN SMN