TDS Desk:

A sector commander-level meeting between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) was held on Wednesday morning at the Sonamasjid border outpost conference room in Chapainawabganj.

The 59 BGB Battalion issued a press release after the meeting.

According to the press release, the meeting discussed various issues in a friendly environment and both sides agreed on restricting access for all except farmers within 150 yards of the border.

They discussed addressing border-related problems through discussion between the two forces, discouraging trespassing and drug smuggling and preventing misinformation or rumours by media over border issues.

The BGB delegation was led by Rajshahi Sector Commander Colonel Imran Ibne A Rouf, while DIG Arun Kumar Gautam of the Malda Sector led the BSF team.

Lt Col Golam Kibria, commanding officer of the 59 BGB Battalion, and Suraj Singh, commanding officer of the 119 BSF Battalion, were present.

Tensions between the two forces recently escalated due to BSF’s alleged construction of a barbed wire fence near the zero line at the Chouka border on January 7 and the felling of mango trees in Bangladesh by Indian nationals near the Chouka and Kiranganj border areas on Saturday.