India summons Bangla deputy envoy after Dhaka’s objection on border fencing

India summoned Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Nural Islam as the tension between the two countries escalates, sources said on Monday. The Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA’s) action comes a day after Dhaka objected to New Delhi’s border fencing project in its own territory and even termed it as an ‘unauthorised attempt’ and said it undermined the spirit of ‘cooperation’ between the two countries.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) office in Dhaka summoned Indian Ambassador to Dhaka, Pranay Verma, and later released a statement about the meeting saying, “Foreign Secretary Mohd Jashim Uddin expressed deep concern to the Indian envoy … and asked India to refrain from any provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the border.”

It went on to add, “Activities, particularly the unauthorised attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by the Border Security Force (BSF), have caused tensions and disturbances.”

Dhaka did not stop at that; it added, “The construction of barbed wire fence without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries.”

The fencing by India is to stop illegal migration from the neighbouring country. Some 800 km of the 4,096 km boundary between the two countries does not have a fence.

Indian envoy Verma, after meeting with Bangladesh FS yesterday, told reporters in Dhaka, "I met with the foreign secretary to discuss India’s commitment to ensuring a crime-free border and effectively addressing challenges of smuggling, movement of criminals, and trafficking.”

He added, “We have an understanding with regard to fencing the border for security. BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been in communication in this regard. We expect that understandings will be implemented and there will be a cooperative approach to combating crime.”

Tensions between India and Bangladesh heightened earlier this week after the BGB objected to the BSF’s attempt at erecting fencing in certain areas along the border.

The BSF and BGB’s leaders’ talks are slated for next month, and the matter is expected to be discussed at the meet.

At today’s meeting, Dhaka has also raised the killing of its citizen, allegedly by the BSF along the India-Bangladesh border earlier this week.

It also referred to the recent killing of a Bangladeshi citizen along the India-Bangladesh border. News reports said Saidul Islam, 23, was allegedly killed by the BSF at the border in Sunamganj last Wednesday. Islam was reported to have been illegally carrying betel nuts to India when he was reportedly shot by the BSF and later rescued by the BGB before being declared dead at a local hospital.

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said, “It strongly resented these acts of killing and called for urgent action by the Indian authorities to stop the recurrence of such incidents and conduct enquiries into all these border killings and take actions against those responsible.”

Dhaka termed it as a ‘matter of grave concern’ and alleged that despite repeated firm commitments from the Indian authorities to pursue a non-lethal strategy and to stop killings, such incidents of killing have continued.

He also said Bangladesh believes that such issues should be resolved through constructive dialogue, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements.