The BSF has asked villagers living near the international border to watch for any attempt by Bangladeshis and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to make illegal constructions within 150 yards of the zero point.

“BSF officers are regularly interacting with villagers to ensure that the border residents inform the force about any unusual activity on the Bangladesh side, especially along the 150-yard-stretch from the zero point till the fences on the other side,” said a source.

The border residents, especially those who own land or live beyond the fences on the Indian side, have been asked to be cautious. “Every day, hundreds of Indian farmers cross the fence to reach their land. Some Indians have houses also beyond the fence. These people have been told to report to the BSF if they notice any new construction or any other suspected activity,” the source added.

The move, sources said, follows some recent attempts by Bangladeshis and the BGB to make constructions within the 150-yard stretch.

Last week, the BSF stopped the BGB from building a sentry post bunker at the Dahagram-Angarpota, the sole Bangladeshi enclave that is on the other side of the Mekhliganj subdivision of Cooch Behar district. It is connected to the Bangladesh mainland through the Tin Bigha corridor.

The construction of three houses in the enclave near the Indian border was
also stopped.

Again, on February 1, a BSF patrol found that Bangladeshis were carrying out some fortification work (suspected to be the installation of fences) within the 150-yard stretch at the border on the other side of North Dinajpur district. The BSF raised objections, prompting the BGB to halt the work.

“These attempts have made the BSF intensify its coordination with the border villagers and take their help to prevent such activities. Usually, the BSF personnel patrol along the fences but these villagers, go beyond the fences. That is why they have been asked to be on alert,” said a source.

That the BSF is on high alert is evident as senior officers of the central security force are regularly paying field visits, holding meetings with officers and troops, and even meeting villagers at the border.

Ravi Gandhi, the additional director general (ADG) of the Eastern Command of BSF stationed in Calcutta, visited the bordering areas that are under the Guwahati frontier on Sunday and Monday.

During his visit, Gandhi reviewed the operational preparedness and prevailing security scene along the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district of Bengal and in Dhubri district of Assam.

“The ADG visited various border outposts, interacted with officers in the field, and assessed the day and night border domination plan. He emphasized the optimal use of technology and advanced surveillance equipment to ensure round-the-clock border security, effectively counter potential threats, and curb border-related crimes,” said an official of the BSF.

“He also interacted with local residents in border areas and told them to extend their cooperation to BSF for effective safeguarding of the border,” the source added.

‘Smugglers’ held

The BSF Malda has nabbed four alleged Bangladeshi cattle smugglers on Sunday evening.

Sources said at around 7pm, an on-duty jawan of the 88th battalion of the central security force posted at the Itaghati border outpost that is under the Habibpur police station of the district, spotted some suspicious infiltrators trying to enter India.

He raised an alert and soon, a group of BSF personnel chased the smugglers, who panicked and ran towards Adampur, an Indian village near the border.

As the news spread, the villagers came out, and along with the BSF, they started searching for the quartet. Soon, they were found hiding in a bush.

During interrogation, the smugglers admitted that they were Bangladeshi nationals and had plans to smuggle cattle from India to Bangladesh. For a pair of cattle, they get 40,000 rupees, the smugglers said.

Later, they were handed over to the Habibpur police station.

Additional reporting by our Malda correspondent