• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:29 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The high-level committee constituted by the Centre days after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh last month to monitor the situation of Indians and religious minorities in the turmoil-hit country held a meeting, officials said on Friday. The meeting was chaired by the head of the panel, ADG Ravi Gandhi, BSF (Eastern Command), news agency ANI reported.

All members, including those from the Land Port Authority of India, were reportedly in attendance. The topics that figured in the meeting's agenda included progress of various communications with BSF's Bangladeshi equivalent, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and status of safety of minority communities in Bangladesh, especially in bordering districts, ANI said in its report. 

Since August 12, both the forces have had around 722 border meetings at various levels. The two border guarding forces also carried out 1,367 simultaneous coordinating patrolling (SCP) in vulnerable border patches under the jurisdiction of BSF's Eastern Command. During these border meetings, BGB officials were reportedly asked to prevent infiltration into India.

The BGB assured the safety of Indian citizens and members of minority communities in Bangladesh. The BSF has also been holding village coordination meetings with Indian villagers residing along the India-Bangladesh international border to make them aware of the prevailing situation in Bangladesh and to seek their cooperation in border management. A total of 614 such meetings have been held in the last 15 days in the area under the jurisdiction of BSF's Eastern Command.

(With inputs from ANI)