With maximum border infiltrations, this year, at the Indo-Bangladesh border, West Bengal, which shares a substantial length of it with the neighbouring country, continue to remain in a vulnerable position with such infiltration attempts being made every second day.

Bengal has witnessed at least three infiltration attempts in a time span of 72 hours this month with the BSF apprehending the infiltrators. The present concern rises from a Security Forces/Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) report, tabled in the Parliament today by the minister of state (MoS) for defence, Ajay Bhatt.

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According to the records, the total number of infiltration attempts at the Indo-Bangladesh border in 2021, up to 30 June, is 441 while infiltration attempts at the Indo-Pakistan border during the same time period stands at 33. About 740 infiltrators were apprehended here than at the Indo-Pak border where the figure is 20. Districts such as North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad are examples of frequent infiltrations attempts.

The BSF South Bengal has reported that on the intervening night of 6- 7 August, two Bangladeshi women were detained by the BSF troops of the Border Outpost Jeetpur. The troops caught the infiltrators while they were crossing the border “illegally” from the border areas of North 24 Parganas district.

Just two days before on 4 August, the BSF troops under South Bengal Frontier apprehended one Bangladeshi woman while she was allegedly trying to cross the international border from the border area outpost Hakimpur in North 24 Parganas.

On 3 August, BSF troops held another Bangladeshi national who was infiltrating into India from Bangladesh in the area of the border outpost Ashirdah, Murshidabad. He was later handed over to the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) after a flag meeting as a goodwill gesture.

Moreover, in June 2021, the detention of a 36-year-old Chinese national Han Junwe by the BSF along the India-Bangladesh border in Malda, without valid documents, had sparked off security concerns. Several Chinese and Indian sim cards, currencies and gadgets were recovered from him. He is said to have entered through the unfenced portion between India and Bangladesh.

A security issues expert told The Statesman that the only solution to curb these attempts is fencing the unguarded part. The MHA has in Lok Sabha submitted that about 3,141 km of the total 4,096.7 km Indo- Bangladesh border is fenced.

It informed that 76 per cent of the Indo-Bangladesh border has been covered by a fence and that the balance length of the border will be covered by physical fencing and technological solutions in the form of Comprehensive Integrated Border Management(CIBM). It was highlighted that the riverine border which is not feasible for fencing will be covered through technological solutions.

West Bengal shares 2,216 km of the international border with Bangladesh.