Bangladesh crisis: BSF on high alert along international border in West Bengal

Newly-appointed Director General of BSF, Daljit Singh Chaudhury, who already reached Kolkata on Monday, reviews the situation

Kolkata: The Border Security Force (BSF) has been put on high alert along the India-Bangladesh international borders in West Bengal given the crisis in the neighbouring country.

The newly-appointed Director General (DG) of BSF, Daljit Singh Chaudhury, who had already reached Kolkata on Monday, has reviewed the situation and spoken to the top officials of the force in its Eastern Command.

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The DG of the central force is slated to visit the Benapole-Petrapole India Bangladesh India-Bangladesh International Border in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. This is the second day of Chaudhury’s visit to the State. Sources said that he might also visit other sensitive border areas with Bangladesh in West Bengal.

The DG has already visited the floating border outposts in the Sunderbans areas scattered over the South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts. It is learnt that Chaudhury has emphasised more on ensuring absolute security and sealing the borders with Bangladesh to prevent any kind of illegal infiltration attempt to take advantage of the Bangladesh crisis.

He has specially emphasised enhanced security arrangements at the floating border outposts and deployment of additional security personnel at the sensitive border points through which chances of illegal infiltration are more. He has also emphasised enhanced night patrolling and monitoring through extensive use of close-circuit television sets and night vision cameras, considering the chances of illegal infiltration will be higher during the night hours than in broad daylight.

The focus, according to sources, is more on the South Bengal Frontier considering the areas covering porous and sensitive border points are more in that area. Meanwhile, West Bengal Police have issued an advisory cautioning the public about refraining from making any controversial posts on the emerging crisis in Bangladesh.

“Given the current situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, we have noticed a few posts and videos on social media that may create discord and unrest. Please do not pay attention to rumours, do not share provocative videos, do not step into a fake news trap. The state administration is alert and vigilant. Keep calm and maintain peace,” the advisory issued by West Bengal Police read.

The caution from the state police came in wake of the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having issued a public appeal through the media requesting common people to refrain from getting trapped in any kind of provocation on the Bangladesh issue.

Meanwhile, sources from the State Secretariat said that while the security arrangements at the State’s borders with Bangladesh mainly rest with the Border Security Force (BSF), the police stations in the bordering areas have also been asked to be on high alert following the evolving situation in that country.