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Saturday, December 24, 2011

BSF building wall violating border rules

Indian Border Security Force is constructing a wall close to the border line in Senarbadi village of the district's Akhaura to protect a road they built there illegally.

About a year ago, BSF started constructing the 1,060 metre road from pillar 2305/S to 2401/S, according to Sarail 12 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh.

Now the Indian paramilitary force is building the wall in clear violation of the international law that allows no structure within 150 yards of the zero line.

Earlier, as BGB protested the wall construction, the Indian side said they would stop piling of earth. But the work continued in the dark of night. 

Several flag meetings were held on the issue. 

In one of the meetings, the Indian force assured BGB of not using this road. But for the last few days, Indian tractors loaded with bricks, cement bags are driving along the dirt road to border pillar 2024. 

The Indian authorities are gathering construction materials close to the zero line and even inside Bangladesh territory. They are digging deep the ground and making big holes to construct the 2-3 feet high wall up to the level of the road. A few border pillars have sunk into earth.

One BGB official seeking anonymity has said the Indian side may have an ill-motive to construct a boundary wall.

BGB office sources have said the high officials of both countries have agreed that retaining wall could be built within 16 feet of zero line to protect a boundary pillar that falls in any water body. 

Contacted, Lieutenant Colonel Mustafizur Rahman, commanding officer of Sarail 12 battalion, said they earlier had sent BSF a message requesting not to erect any boundary wall there and held a battalion commander level meeting on December 21. In the meeting, the BSF agreed that they would not erect any wall above the ground level.

BGB is always watching if BSF violates any treaty or border rules, the CO added.