BSF relies on tech amid rising infiltration bids from Bangladesh

Amid the rise in violent incidents targeting people from the Hindu community and other minorities in Bangladesh, India has seen a significant surge in infiltration attempts.

The Border Security Force (BSF) is now taking help of technology to plug infiltration and smuggling attempts across the unfenced India-Bangladesh border. Usage of cameras and drones will ensure that such movement is monitored, highly-placed sources told The Tribune.

They said the BSF had been using technological inputs to prevent such activities at a time when there are heightened attempts of infiltration from Bangladesh into India.

As per sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), of the total 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border, 3,196 km has been covered by physical fencing, while the remaining 900-km of unfenced border would be safeguarded using technological solutions.

The sources further said old design fences were being replaced with a new design fence. Besides, there have been some problems in the fencing process on certain stretches due to riverine or low lying areas, habitations located close to the border, pending land acquisition cases and protests by the border population, which have slowed down the completion of the project, the MHA sources informed.

The India-Bangladesh Border is further marked by difficult terrain such as hills, rivers and valleys.

To prevent illegal infiltrations and anti-national activities from across the border, the Centre has sanctioned the construction of border fencing with floodlights, in phases, sources said further.

Last week, BSF DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary had also rounded up a two-day visit to the North Bengal sector. Chawdhary said that owing to the terrain issues like rivers and hilly areas, certain areas are unfenced.