Staff Reporter
Guwahati: A 4.35 km land stretch of the India-Bangladesh border in Assam remains unfenced due to objections from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
This fact was revealed by Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora in the Assam Assembly today.
On the first day of the Budget Session, AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury raised a question about the length of the unfenced Assam portion of the India-Bangladesh border.
In response to the AGP MLA's question, Minister Atul Bora said, "According to Survey of India data, the total length of the Assam portion of the India-Bangladesh border is 263.5 km, which is shared between the Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Cachar, and Sribhumi districts of Assam. Out of this length of the border, barbed wire fencing has been constructed along a stretch of 224.541 km. Fencing could not be constructed along a 34.609 km length because it is located in a riverine area and along a 4.35 km length where there is an Indian settlement along the Kushiyara riverbank in the Sribhumi district, due to objections from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)."
Minister Bora further said, "The subject of sealing the India-Bangladesh border is completely under the Central Government. According to the information available with the Government of India, the Border Security Force (BSF) is regularly monitoring the water bodies in the open riverine areas through the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) and by establishing boat observation posts. In addition to these measures, the remaining 4.35-kilometre-long stretch of the Kushiyara riverbank in the Sribhumi district is under tight security arrangements by the Border Security Force."
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