BGB-BSF DG-level border conference begins in Dhaka

A five-day director general (DG)-level border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) began in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The conference is being held at the conference room of Pilkhana BGB headquarters in the capital.

A 16-member delegation led by BGB DG Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui took part in the conference.

Apart from BGB high officials, representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, Home Ministry, Foreign Ministry and officials of the joint river commission were present there.

On the other hand, a nine-member delegation led by BSF DG Nitin Agrawal joined the conference with the presence of high officials of BSF, Indian Home and Foreign Ministry officials and officials of Indian High Commission.

The meeting discussed security-related issues like border killing; drugs, arms, ammunition, women, and children trafficking, illegal trespassing, conservation of the banks of the rivers along the bordering areas, joint efforts to implement Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP), development of the bi-lateral relation between the two countries and development work within 150 yards of the international border.

Earlier, a nine member delegation led by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG) Nitin Agrawal arrived in the city. Smita Agrawal, wife of the BSF head, is accompanying him during his visit to Bangladesh.

BGB DG Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui and his spouse Nawrin Ashraf welcomed the BSF delegation with flowers upon their arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning.

Later, the Indian delegation was taken to the BGB headquarters where the BSF chief paid respect to the BGB members who sacrificed their lives during the country's liberation war in 1971.

Moreover, another delegation of 'BSF Wives Welfare Association' also came to the country at the invitation of the BGB Shimanto Paribar Kalyan Samity (SHIPKS) Chief Patron Nawrin Ashraf.

The delegates of the Indian welfare association are scheduled to attend several events hosted by the SHIPKS and Shimanto Ladies Club.

The conference will end through the signing of Joint Record of Discussions (JRD) on 9 March.

The BSF delegation will return to India on 9 March wrapping up the five day DG level border conference.