India proposes joint border manning with Bangladesh

October 7th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh has cancelled leave of its border guards and stepped up army deployment on its border with Myanmar, alleging large-scale intrusion and to protest against the eastern neighbour erecting a border fence. Tension mounted along the Naikhyangchhari border in Bandarban after Myanmar resumed border fencing Friday.

October 5th, 2009 MUHURIGHAT - Bangladesh has urged India to do away with visas for travel between the two neighbours to boost trade and business besides improving people-to-people relations. "If European nations introduced visa free movement among 27 of their countries, why aren'nt southeast Asia's two close neighbours -- India and Bangladesh -- adopting such systems to further boost economy and culture?" asked Bangladesh Ports and Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan.

September 19th, 2009 GUWAHATI - The Assam government Saturday alleged that Bangladesh has encroached upon 499.79 acres of Indian land, including two tea gardens, and urged New Delhi to take up the matter with Dhaka urgently. "Our records show that Bangladesh is in illegal possession of 189.06 acres in Assam's Dhubri district while the remaining is in Karimganj district," state Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman told journalists.

August 23rd, 2009 DHAKA - Ahead of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni's visit to India Sep 7, Dhaka wants more information on Delhi's plan to build Tipaimukh dam in Manipur state, a senior official has said. Foreign Secretary Mirajul Quayes described last month's visit to India by a parliamentary team as "useful" and said the data supplied by India was being examined by a committee of experts, New Age newspaper reported Sunday.

July 18th, 2009 DHAKA - Urging India to cancel plans to build a dam in an area near the Bangladesh border, opposition leader Khaleda Zia Saturday exhorted the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina "not to bow" to India on the issue. Zia offered the government "full cooperation" in resisting India's plans to construct a dam on the Barak river at Tipaimukh in Manipur, saying it would have disastrous impact on the environment in both countries, bdnews24.com news agency reported.

July 15th, 2009 DHAKA - India has proposed coordinated patrolling of its border with Bangladesh to curb trespassers who cross over at night, leading to many of them being shot by the Border Security Force (BSF) - the bone of contention at talks between the top brass of the border guards of the two countries. The killing this year of 64 unarmed civilians, as Bangladesh puts it, has become a sensitive issue between the two neighbours, who Tuesday ended their bi-annual consultations between top officials of the BSF and the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).

July 13th, 2009 DHAKA - Trespassers being killed by India's Border Security Force (BSF) is the latest bone of contention at the ongoing talks between the top brass of the two neighbours' border guards. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) says the BSF personnel shot dead 55 unarmed persons this year, calling them murders.

June 29th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh has sought British help for its land border management and maritime security as part of a string of joint working groups it seeks to set up within the South Asian region and outside with the US, Australia and Russia. The first such Joint Working Group (JWG) was set up with Britain Sunday to enhance counter terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

June 24th, 2009 AGARTALA - Bangladeshi police have detained six Indians, including two women, after they accidentally crossed the border along southern Tripura while grazing their cattle, an official said here Wednesday. A group of Bangladeshi civilians detained the six Indians late Tuesday when their cattle went across the border along Tripura's southern border town Sabroom, 135 km south of state capital Agartala.

June 8th, 2009 SHILLONG - The government is now giving equal priority to the eastern frontiers of the country as the western borders by strengthening the Border Security Force (BSF) and providing force-multiplier technology along the 4,095-km-long border with Bangladesh, a BSF official said here Monday. The ministry of home affairs has sanctioned Rs.80 billion to the BSF to raise additional battalions, to procure modern gadgets and other assets, mainly to be used in the vulnerable northeast, the official said.

March 14th, 2009 AGARTALA - Night curfew has been imposed along the borders with Bangladesh in Assam and Tripura besides stepping up security in view of the general elections, officials said here Saturday. A home ministry official said vigil along the Bangladesh border has been tightened to check movement of militants and infiltration.

February 28th, 2009 KOLKATA - At least 500 trucks ferrying goods to Bangladesh, were stranded at the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Petrapole Friday as exporters feared a loss of Rs.2 billion ($38.83 million) following the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers. 'As of now, at least 500 trucks with both perishable and other goods are stuck at the border,' Raja Roy, general secretary, Calcutta Goods Transport Association, told IANS.

February 26th, 2009 KOLKATA - All border districts in West Bengal have been put on alert following the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers in the neighbouring country's capital city of Dhaka. 'The district magistrates and superintendents of police in the border districts have been told to be alert.

February 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI/KOLKATA - India and Bangladesh continued their first joint military exercise in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district Thursday amid reports that the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers, which saw the killing of at least 50 people, spread beyond Dhaka. 'The Indian Army, Air Force and Bangladesh Army have been participating in the exercise to test their battlefield tactics since Feb 22.

December 26th, 2008 AGARTALA - The Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified its vigil along the border with Bangladesh that goes to polls Dec 29, an official said here Saturday. 'We have deployed additional BSF troopers all along the border with Bangladesh and asked the forces to maintain their strict vigil specially in the porous and riverine sections of the border,' a senior BSF official told IANS.