BGB's vigilance, intel sharing increased

In a bid to fight transboundary militancy and terrorism, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has increased vigilance at the borders as well as intelligence sharing with Indian Border Security Force (BSF), said BGB Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed yesterday. 

 "We will increase sharing of information and assist each other to fight militancy to tackle terrorism and restrict their transboundary movement," he said.

The BGB chief said the force believed that friendly relations with India and Myanmar's bordering forces would be further strengthened through future bilateral meetings.

Aziz, who took charge on December 5, 2012, was briefing journalists at the BGB headquarters on the force's successes, developments and restructuring and reform processes in the last three years.

He said BGB brought around 208 out of 539 kilometres of unprotected borders under surveillance by setting up 90 Border Operation Posts (BOP) while another 80km would be covered by next April.

Replying to a query, he said it was true that border killings had not stopped but that figures were decreasing gradually. According to him, at least 33 people were killed this year while it was at least 40 last year.

A director general-level conference of BGB and BSF will begin in Dhaka on December 22 where issues of border killings, drug and arms smuggling and women and children trafficking will be discussed, he said. BGB will also raise the Felani murder issue, he added. 

The BGB chief said he had adopted zero tolerance towards offenders in the force especially those involved in drug smuggling and extramarital affairs, two issues centring which over 100 BGB men have been dismissed.

Replying to another query about drug smuggling, Aziz said they were working at their level best but faced some limitations including a lack of roads and BOPs.

Stressing on increasing awareness among people, he said suppliers would make it available by any means if there was a demand for drugs inside the country.

According to BGB, the force seized smuggled goods and drugs, including around 84 lakh yaba tablets, worth around Tk 3,162.29 core. 

At least 276 establishments including hospitals, accommodation for officials and Jawans and hostels for children of BGB men have been constructed while 167 projects were running in full swing, he said.