India has decided to introduce non-lethal weapons to prevent killing of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians along the India-Bangladesh border.
The decision was taken at the five-day director general- level meeting of the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Border Security Force of India, which concluded at the BSF headquarters in New Delhi Saturday.
BSF DG Raman Srivastava told journalists at a joint briefing that BSF personnel would be armed with non-lethal weapons at certain designated points along the border on experimental basis. If this is found successful in bringing down the number of casualties, such weapons will be given to the entire 4,096 km border, Srivastava added.
BGB director general Major General Rafiqul Islam, while referring to the killing of innocent civilians by the BSF, requested his counterpart to follow international rules 'primarily to avoid' firings that kill innocent people.
He was of the view that people found guilty should be arrested and brought to book. He said killing of innocent people by firing could not resolve issues.
Mentioning the killing of Felani, a young Bangladeshi girl, by the BSF, Major General Islam, however, admitted that following the protest by Dhaka such kind of firing has not taken place so far. 'We see a marked improvement,' he said adding 'we want a total stop on this issue.'
The Border Guard Bangladesh and India have decided for the first time to introduce a Joint 'Treat' ceremony on Benapole/Petrapole International border on the pattern of one that already exists between India and Pakistan at a place called Attari in Amritsar in the state of Punjab. The India-Pakistan Joint retreat is a huge attraction.
The DG BSF said a joint committee of BSF and BGB would go into the details and make appropriate recommendations for the proposed ceremony. The same will be implemented subject to approval by both the governments.
The BSF chief expressed the hope that it would be a huge tourist attraction from both sides of the border.
The joint retreat is a ceremony where national flags of the two countries would be lowered amidst playing of national anthems. The joint retreat ceremony is part of 'Confidence Building Measures'.
During the five-day meeting, the two sides discussed issues relating to implementation of joint border management plan, trans-border crimes, firing on Indo-Bangladesh border, border fencing, smuggling of fake Indian currency notes, narcotics and Phensidyl and trafficking of women and children.
Security-related issues, joint survey in adverse possession and head count in the enclaves and confidence building measures also came up for discussion, a joint statement said.
On the issue of death of Bangladesh nationals, both sides agreed to take effective steps to reduce such incidents due to firing on the border. On security-related issues, both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing active mutual cooperation, the statement said.
Both border chiefs agreed to take all-out steps to prevent cross-border crimes, illegal border crossings, drugs and human trafficking.
Raman Srivastava termed the just concluded Border Coordination Conference the most cordial meeting the BGB and BSF 'had ever had in the past.' He said the decisions taken during the conference would have far reaching effects. He said relations between the BSF and BGB were closer now and two sides had excellent understanding on all issues.
Major General Rafiqul Islam noted that they had 'absolute understanding' and 'We understand each other better than before.' The two sides also agreed to increase field-level meetings and commanders to hold weekly meeting for more inter-action.
During the conference, both sides also agreed to complete the joint inspection of the remaining twenty patches out of 46-unfenced priority patches proposed by India within 150 yards of Indian border.
The BGB DG said during the conference Bangladesh had submitted a list of persons involved in drug business and names of criminals and anti-state elements to the BSF authority.
The BSF chief also submitted a list of criminals who are involved in smuggling of fake Indian currency notes alleging that they have been operating from Bangladesh. He, however, admitted that authority in Bangladesh arrested a criminal group in Bangladesh indulging in fake currency business.
During the meeting, the Indian side offered training facilities to Bangladesh. A team from Bangladesh is likely to visit India in this regard.
The 20-member Bangladesh team left Delhi Saturday afternoon for Kolkata on way to Dhaka.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
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