Border Force BSF Rejects Reports Of Bangladesh Controlling Indian Land

Kolkata:
In a strong rebuke to recent allegations, the Border Security Force (BSF) has categorically denied reports that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized control of a 5-kilometer stretch of Indian land along the International Border. These claims, which surfaced in a segment of the Bangladeshi media, have been labeled by the BSF as “baseless and irresponsible.”
The controversy centers around a specific area in Ranghat village, located in the Bagda block of North 24 Parganas district in India. The newly appointed commanding officer of the 58 BGB, Lt Col Rafique Islam, was cited as the source of these contentious claims.
The BSF’s South Bengal Frontier issued a statement vehemently rejecting the reports that BGB had taken over the Indian land. The area in question, situated in Ranghat village, is clearly demarcated by the International Boundary (IB) that follows the Kodaliya River. Reference pillars on both sides of the river ensure the boundary is well-defined, and the BSF’s duty patterns have remained consistent for decades.
The BSF also refuted allegations that BGB personnel had initiated 24-hour patrols in the area using motorized boats and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) since December 19. Describing these reports as “concocted stories,” the BSF emphasized that both forces continue to perform their duties on their respective sides of the river, adhering to the established boundary.
The region, though unfenced, is prone to smuggling and infiltration attempts by Bangladeshi nationals. However, stringent measures implemented by the BSF have significantly reduced such incidents to negligible levels. The BSF and BGB are operating in accordance with the ‘India-Bangladesh Border Guidelines, 1975’, ensuring the integrity of the International Boundary is maintained.
The BSF was clear in stating that not an inch of Indian land has been, or will be, taken over by the BGB. The false claims attributed to Lt Col Rafique Islam were dismissed as fabricated and potentially damaging to the goodwill between the two border-guarding forces.