India-Bangladesh
New Delhi-Dhaka tension: India summons top Bangladeshi official amid border row
India on Monday summoned the Bangladeshi Deputy High Commissioner Md. Nural Islam to discuss the border issues, media reports said.
The border issue between India and Bangladesh has remained in focus since the toppling of former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5 amid rising protests against her regime over a job quota row.
Since then, several Bangladeshi people have been allegedly spotted attempting to enter India by crossing the border illegally.
According to reports, Bangladesh summoned the Indian envoy to Dhaka Pranay Verma to express “deep concern” over “recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF)”.
This came hours after Dhaka alleged that India was attempting to construct fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border, violating a bilateral agreement, reported The Indian Express.
After meeting Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin, the Indian High Commissioner told the Indian newspaper: “I just met Foreign Secretary to discuss India’s commitment to ensuring a crime-free border, effectively addressing challenges of smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking.”
“We have an understanding with regard to fencing the border for security. BSF and BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) have been in communication in this regard. We expect that understandings will be implemented and there will be a cooperative approach to combating crime,” Verma said.
The relationship between India and Bangladesh has touched low points ever since Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus-led government came to power in Bangladesh after the fall of Hasina's regime.
There has been a spike in attacks on Hindu community members in Bangladesh following the toppling of Hasina's government.
Hasina has been staying in India since she fled from Bangladesh.
Tensions spiked between the two neighbours last week when fencing work in the Sukdevpur area of Malda’s Kaliachak III block was briefly paused due to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)'s claim that it was being conducted on Bangladeshi soil.
The issue was resolved through discussions, and construction resumed without further disruptions the next day, reported News 18.
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