New Delhi, Sept. 26: A four-day meeting with the Bangladesh Rifles next week is expected to create the ground for the Border Security Force to begin joint patrolling with the BDR along parts of the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Armed with Bangladesh?s in-principle approval negotiated by home secretary Dhirendra Singh during his three-day Dhaka visit earlier this month, the BSF will submit a document detailing the modalities of the joint patrolling at its bi-annual meeting beginning on Tuesday.

Joint patrolling involves security forces co-ordinating patrolling along the border in their respective territories, staying in touch over wireless systems or visually. A similar arrangement already exists between the BSF and the Pakistani Rangers along the western border.

At its May 2003 meeting, the BDR had taken up New Delhi?s offer for joint patrolling besides working out confidence-building measures at the level of the security forces, which included participating in sports events hosted by the two forces. But Dhaka?s foreign and home ministries played spoilsport, refusing to clear the BSF?s proposal sent to the BDR.

A home ministry delegation led by Singh was, however, successful in removing this hurdle when it recently convinced the Bangladesh government to give an in-principle clearance to co-ordination between the BSF and BDR on patrolling the border. A joint statement issued after the home secretary-level talks left it open to the BDR and BSF to work out the modalities.

Officials point out that the two forces may, to begin with, agree to conduct joint patrolling along particular stretches and then expand the area covered keeping in view their experiences. New Delhi believes that other than helping check trans-border crimes, joint patrolling sends a clear message to criminals.

?It is a confidence-building measure that would also ensure there are no communication gaps between us and them,? a senior BSF officer said.

BSF chief Ajai Raj Sharma is also likely to hand over a fresh list of 195 camps, besides information on militants holed up.

Bangladesh has consistently denied providing sanctuary to militant groups operating in the Northeast, declaring that it does not allow any undesirable element to use its territory for any prejudicial activity against India or any other country.

Dhaka had made this point recently at the home secretary-level talks and Sharma has himself heard this refrain several times from his counterpart in Bangladesh.

?We know that we will not get anything on this,? a BSF official said, suggesting that India could, however, not afford to let go of the issue that has serious implications on its national security.