India and Pakistan on Saturday announced a ceasefire, but security forces in districts along the Bangladesh border in south Bengal have decided not to lower
their guard.
In North 24-Parganas, the district administration activated a 24-hour control room and launched joint surveillance operations with the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border.
On the sea, coastal police of South 24-Parganas and the Indian Coast Guard have been undertaking joint patrolling in the Sunderbans delta with armed fast interceptor
boats (FIBs).
BSF personnel patrol the road approaching the Ghojadanga land port in North 24-Parganas on Friday. Picture by Pashupati Das
“We apprehend that the situation will remain sensitive and vulnerable even though a truce was announced. So, the joint exercises cannot be stopped,” a senior police officer in North 24-Parganas said.
In the fragile riverine terrain of the Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas, the coastal police and the Coast Guard have ramped up maritime vigilance. A team from the Fraserganj coastal police station began joint operations with the Coast Guard.
“The stretch is porous, riverine and sea-linked. So, such surveillance and patrolling have become very important to prevent the entry of unwanted elements and boats,” said an officer of
Fraserganj police.
“Identity of each sailor and the crew is being verified, and we are urging them to alert us if any suspected boat movement is noticed.”
The Basirhat police district has taken the lead in intensifying border security and
local coordination.
“We are in constant touch with the BSF and have
undertaken joint patrolling,” said Hossain Mehedi Rehman, superintendent of
police, Basirhat.
“Meetings with BSF officers were held to strengthen coordination. We have intensified patrolling, activated our ground-level source base and increased security at all vital installations,” he said.
Among these installations, the Ghojadanga land port has emerged as a particular focus, with round-the-clock surveillance now in place.
The newly operational control room in Basirhat is designed to function both as a rapid response centre and a helpdesk. “It has been designed to serve both as a rapid-response hub and a public-facing helpdesk. So this control room would remain functional, particularly considering the sensitive situation,” Rehman told
The Telegraph.
Staffed by a specially trained team under inspector of police, Apu Das, the unit is equipped to respond to border violations, internal disturbances, and the circulation
of misinformation.
In the Sundarbans, while routine maritime checks are common in the delta, officers admit that the current level of surveillance is unprecedented and will continue, regardless of the ceasefire.
“The intricate network of waterways and the absence of rigid natural barriers make the region especially vulnerable to covert entry. So we cannot afford any lapse or slackness following the ceasefire,” an official added.
Emergency contact numbers for the control room have been circulated by the authorities for public access: landlines 03217-264666 and 264789, and mobile numbers 8392031805, 9147888185 (OC-control room), and 9874763663 (inspector-
control room).
Officials issued advisories on social media, urging citizens to refrain from spreading unverified information and report any suspicious activities directly to the control room.