The Malda district administration held a high-level meeting on Thursday with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to accelerate the installation of barbed wire fencing along the porous border with Bangladesh across two blocks of the district, Habibpur and Kaliachak III.

The initiative comes in the wake of a directive announced by the state government following a recent cabinet decision under which land required for fencing is to be handed over to the BSF within 45 days.

Malda shares nearly 170km of its borders with Bangladesh, most of which remains unfenced. Officials noted that this has made the region vulnerable to infiltration and smuggling activities.

Security agencies have flagged repeated incidents of infiltration and illegal trade, including fake Indian currency notes and contraband goods, particularly in police station areas close to the international border.

In the last five months alone, more than 15 infiltrators were detained by the BSF, police, and residents, underscoring the urgency of strengthening border infrastructure.

The district officials said the issue has long been a point of political debate, with the BJP, in Opposition then, questioning the previous Trinamool government’s delay in giving land to the BSF for fencing. Now the ruling party, the BJP has prioritised the timely completion of fencing for national security.

Rajanvir Singh Kapur, the district magistrate, said the meeting was held to ensure that land is handed over to the BSF within 45 days.

“Representatives from the BSF, CPWD, and the state land and land reforms department were present at the meeting. It has been decided that a coordination mechanism, including a dedicated WhatsApp group involving all departments
concerned, will be set up to ensure smooth and continuous monitoring of the process,” he said.

Debhuti Indra, the additional district magistrate in charge of the district land and the land reforms department, was assigned to monitor the entire process on behalf of the district administration.

According to Indra, around 260 acres of land have been identified for acquisition to facilitate fencing along an estimated 33-km stretch of the border, primarily covering areas in Habibpur block (30km) and parts of Kaliachak III block (3km).

“The alignment of the land has been finalised. Now what is challenging for us is to complete the verification of the ownership of the land within the given period so that all the genuine owners get compensation from the government,” Indra said.

Local landowners in Habibpur have largely welcomed the move, stating that much of the identified land was not highly fertile.

“We are willing to part with it in the interest of national security, provided fair compensation is ensured,” said a Habibpur landowner.