GUWAHATI: In the backdrop of the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday issued a ‘high alert’ along the India-Bangladesh border.
The alert comes hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and left Dhaka.
According to media reports, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) is closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh and the acting director general of BSF, Daljit Chawdhary, has reached Kolkata along with senior brass from the headquarters to review the security at the border.
Hasina’s resignation comes as thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Dhaka, a day after clashes between police and protesters. Nearly 100 people, including 14 policemen, were killed and hundreds injured on Sunday in fierce clashes between protesters demanding Hasina’s resignation and the ruling party supporters in different parts of Bangladesh.
BSF personnel have been directed to intensify surveillance to prevent unauthorized entry of individuals from Bangladesh to India and thwart any attempts by smugglers or terrorists to take advantage of the current situation for their nefarious activities.
Currently, there are 1,096 border out-posts (BOPs) of the BSF on the Indo-Bangladesh Border along West Bengal (2216.7 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Tripura (856 km) and Mizoram (318 km).
India and Bangladesh share a 4,096.7 km border, of which 77 percent is on land and 23 percent is riverine.
