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BSF orders 'high alert' along B’desh border; DG visits front

BSF orders 'high alert' along B’desh border; DG visits front


PTI, 05 AUG 2024, 
NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday issued a "high alert" across all its formations along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border in the wake of the developments in the neighbouring country, officials said.

BSF Director General (Acting) Daljit Singh Chawdhary and other senior commanders toured the front in West Bengal to review the security situation.

The DG landed in Kolkata around 10.30 AM on a flight from Delhi.

Chawdhary along with senior officers toured the remote North 24 Paraganas district and the Sunderbans riverine area to review preparations, an spokesperson for the South Bengal Frontier of the force headquartered in Kolkata said.

The force has directed all its field commanders to be "on ground" and "deploy all personnel on border duty immediately as part of the high alert," a senior officer told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The South Bengal frontier spokesperson said, "In view of the changed situation in Bangladesh, the BSF has issued alert all along Indo-Bangladesh border and the number of troops deployed along the border has been increased."

He added, "The DG was apprised of the role of BSF in maintaining national security along the sensitive international border." The BSF chief is expected to be in the region for the next few days.

File image of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel keep vigil along the India-Bangladesh border.
Air India cancels flights to Dhaka
A Delhi-based BSF spokesperson said the "situation on the Bangladesh border is normal as of now."

"Troops are aware and alert about the recent development and situation across the IB is being closely monitored to deal any unforeseen situation," he said.

A senior officer said that "leave of all personnel posted along the Bangladesh border was cancelled in the last few weeks after Bangladesh witnessed massive protests and now all units have been asked to acquire a high alert posture."

The force, a senior officer in the eastern command said, is concerned about a "jump in illegal crossing and a step up in cross-border crimes in the wake of the emerging situation."

The BSF commanders are in contact with their counterparts from the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), he said.

All land custom stations (LCS) and integrated check posts (ICPs) along this front are on alert and civilian movement has been restricted, the officer said.

Till July 22, about 2,894 Indian students studying in Bangladesh had crossed over to India, while another about 3,000 students are expected to come now, another officer said.

The BSF guards the Indian front on the eastern flank of the country that runs along five states and it has deployed as many as 87 battalions comprising about 90,000 troops.

West Bengal shares a total of 2,217 kilometres of its border with Bangladesh, along with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).

All train services between India and Bangladesh have been suspended indefinitely, Railway officials said on Monday following unrest in the neighbouring country. 

According to the Railway Ministry, Maitri Express, Bandhan Express, and Mitali Express operated their last trips in mid-July this year and have been cancelled since then due to violent protests in Bangladesh. Both Maitri Express and Bandhan Express were initially cancelled from July 19, 2024, to August 6, 2024, they said. However, due to the prevailing situation in Bangladesh, the cancellation has been extended indefinitely, the officials said. 

The service of Mitali Express also stands suspended indefinitely, according to the Indian Railways. “Mitali Express, which runs between New Jalpaiguri-Dhaka, went to Dhaka on July 17, 2024, but it didn’t return after that,” the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Katihar told news agency PTI. 

He added: “The train has 10 coaches owned by Indian Railways but since these coaches were used in that particular train only, there is no inconvenience of any sort to us. The train’s loco used to be changed at the border. So when it enters Bangladesh, they attach their own engine to the train replacing ours.” Maitri runs between Dhaka and Kolkata while the bi-weekly Bandhan Express operates between Khulna and Kolkata. 

Meanwhile, Air India and IndiGo cancelled scheduled flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect on Monday due to the emerging situation there. 

A Vistara official said it operated the flight from Mumbai on Monday and the situation is being monitored for operations to Dhaka on Tuesday. 

While Air India operates two daily flights from Delhi to Dhaka, Vistara flies daily flights from Mumbai and three weekly services from Delhi to the Bangladesh capital. IndiGo has flights to Dhaka from the national capital, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. The number of flights that are operated by the airline could not be immediately ascertained. 

"In view of the emerging situation in Bangladesh, we have cancelled the scheduled operation of our flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Dhaka with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. 

IndiGo said that in view of the ongoing situation in Dhaka, all flights scheduled for tomorrow have unfortunately been cancelled. "We understand that this may cause significant inconvenience and disruption to your travel plans and we sincerely regret this development," it said in a post on X.

Sheikh Hasina on Monday resigned as prime minister of Bangladesh and left the country, several news reports said, amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 106 lives in the last two days.

Her military aircraft landed at the Hindon air force base near Delhi late evening.

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