Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Tuesday that Bangladesh had not yet observed any fresh official move from the Indian central government regarding the construction of barbed wire fences along the border, and that any such issue would be addressed diplomatically if formally proposed.
He made the remarks while talking to journalists at his ministry at the secretariat in the capital Dhaka.
The minister said that discussions on border fencing would only take place at the government-to-government level, not based on decisions by any Indian state administration.
‘Border fencing is a matter between two sovereign countries. If India’s central government formally raises the issue, it will be discussed diplomatically,’ he said.
Responding to concerns over alleged ‘push-in’ incidents from across the border, the home minister said that Bangladesh remained alert on the issue.
‘There are social media reports and old images being circulated. However, we are maintaining strict vigilance along the border to prevent any push-in. We have not received any confirmed reports of such incidents recently,’ he added.
When journalists asked whether the construction of barbed wire fences would have any impact on Bangladesh, the home minister said, ‘We maintain relations with each other respecting sovereignty. The result of an election in any country’s state and what happens there are their internal matter.’
‘If barbed wire fences are to be constructed within Indian territory while maintaining the no-man’s land, it will be discussed diplomatically. But we have not seen any such decision from the government of India. It must be communicated by its central government first, and then it can be discussed diplomatically.’
After winning the assembly elections for the first time, the BJP government in India’s West Bengal state reportedly announced six decisions following its first cabinet meeting on Monday.
At that time, chief minister Shuvendu Adhikari said a decision was made to provide land to the Border Security Force within one and a half months for constructing border fences.
Shuvendu told journalists that, ‘On the very first day, we approved the land transfer process for securing the border for the Central Home Ministry and the BSF, and the land transfer process will start from today.’
‘The land and revenue secretary and the chief secretary have been given responsibility to complete the transfer of required land for the BSF within 45 days, as was already said by our central home minister before the election. We implemented this in today’s first cabinet meeting.’
Responding to a question about media reports of alleged persecution of minorities in West Bengal, Salahuddin Ahmed said, ‘Some social media reports are based on old images. However, we are alert at the border so that no push-in takes place. We have not received any reports of such incidents of torture or persecution.’
Meanwhile, National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam, also the opposition chief whip, at a discussion in the capital on Tuesday said that killings were taking place again along the border and new barbed wire fences were being installed at the border again.
‘If someone kills our country’s people at the border and then talks about friendship, friendship with them is not possible. Friendship cannot be built on barbed wire fencing,’ he said.
‘One day, the people of that country will tear down this barbed wire fences and build friendship with the people of Bangladesh,’ he said, adding that the responsibility of protecting Bangladesh’s borders lies with the government.
‘If the government fails, the people will take that responsibility into their own hands,’ he added.
