The incidents of border killings will come down to zero level if cattle smuggling through the Bangladesh-India border ends, said Border Guard (BGB) Director General (DG) Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam.
“Cattle smuggling is the main reason behind border killings, and cattle smuggling should be stopped for coming down border killings,” the BGB DG said at a press briefing at the Battalion Headquarters of BGB 1 in Rajshahi after attending its 224th founding anniversary celebration on Sunday.
BGB Chief said, “We cannot expect a single killing of Bangladeshi national along the borders. Concerted efforts of all quarters including law-enforcing agencies, people residing along the border areas and public representatives have become crucial to end the border killing.”
Responding to a question, DG Shafeenul Islam said the border surveillance technology is very much effective to ensure peace and security along the border through combating border-related crimes.
BGB has used technological device for ensuring better border management, which eventually will help combating crimes along the border area, he said.
‘We have identified around 350 kilometres borderlines with India and Myanmar as sensitive and vulnerable,’ said the BGB Chief. In the first phase, installation work of ‘Border Surveillance and Response System’ along seven kilometre sensitive area of Patuatuli in Jessore has been completed.
A communication network equipped with thermal camera, video camera, rudder and sensor-connected various instruments was set up there, he told the journalists.
Currently, installation work of the system along 10-kilometre border area of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar is underway. “We are very much hopeful about completion of the modern system along remotest borderlines in Cox’s Bazar, Naogaon, Dinajpur and Chapainawabganj districts in the coming years,” he added.
“As we have manpower shortage to manage the large border manually, we are giving more emphasis on the modern system,” he also said.
‘We are committed to combat trafficking of drugs, human and children,’ Maj Gen Islam asserted replying to a question.
He, however, said the killing in border area has been reduced significantly by dint of cordial relation between BGB and Indian Border Security Force.
