The development came hours after Dhaka alleged that India was trying to construct fences at five locations along the India-Bangladesh border, violating a bilateral agreement.
AMN / BSS
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin on Sunday expressed Bangladesh’s “deep concern” over the recent border tensions during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka.
The state-run BSS news agency earlier reported that Verma was “summoned” by the foreign ministry to discuss escalating tensions along the border. However, a press statement issued by the foreign ministry did not use that term.
“Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin today expressed deep concern of Government of Bangladesh to the High Commissioner of India Pranay Verma at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Bangladesh-India Border,” the foreign ministry said in the statement.
“Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin today expressed deep concern of government of Bangladesh to the High Commissioner of India Pranay Verma at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Bangladesh-India Border,” read a foreign ministry’s press release issued this evening.
During the meeting with the Indian envoy, the foreign secretary stressed that such activities particularly the unauthorized attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by BSF, have caused tensions and disturbances along the border.
Jashim Uddin emphasized that the construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorization undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighboring countries.
The foreign secretary hoped that the upcoming BGB-BSF DG Level Talks would be able to discuss the matter at length.
Referring to the recent killing of a Bangladesh citizen at Sunamganj by BSF, Jashim Uddin also expressed deep concern and disappointment over such repetition of border killings.
He strongly resented these acts of killing and called for urgent action by the Indian authorities to stop recurrence of such incidents and conduct enquiries into all these border killings and take actions against those responsible.
“We have understanding with regard to fencing the border for security. Our two boarder guard enforcements – BSF and BGB – have been in communication in this regards. We expect the understandings will be implemented and that cooperative approach to combating crime,” Verma told reporters after the meeting at the ministry.
The high commission also said he and the foreign secretary also discussed Indian commitment to ensuring the crimes along the border, effectively addressing the challenges of smuggling, movements of criminal and trafficking.