Bangladesh summons Indian envoy over border tensions, cites 'unequal agreements' during Hasina govt

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Sunday summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma over border tensions. Verma, who was seen entering the ministry around 3:00 pm, met with foreign secretary Jashim Uddin.

Bangladesh’ foreign ministry summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma over border tensions on Sunday. Earlier, Bangladesh alleged that India was trying to construct fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border, in violation of a bilateral agreement.

Verma, who was seen entering the ministry around 3:00 pm, met with foreign secretary Jashim Uddin. Following the meeting that lasted approximately 45 minutes, no official statement was released by the interim government. However, officials confirmed that the envoy has been summoned.

Here's what the Indian High Commissioner said

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Verma said Dhaka and New Delhi "have understandings with regard to fencing the border for security".

"Our two border guard enforcements - BSF and BGB (Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh) - have been in communication in this regard. We expect that this understanding will be implemented and there will be a cooperative approach to combating crimes along the border," Verma added.

What is Bangladesh's take on border issues? 

Earlier in the day, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that India halted construction of barbed wire fencing along the border due to the strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and locals. Addressing a media briefing, Chowdhury said that due to some unequal agreements signed during the previous government's tenure, “several issues have arisen along the Bangladesh-India border”.

"However, the efforts of our people and the BGB have forced India to stop certain activities, including the construction of barbed wire fences." Chowdhury said Bangladesh and India have four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to govern border activities.

"Of these, the 1975 MoU specifies that no development with defence potential can take place within 150 yards of the zero line. Another MoU states that no development activities can occur within this boundary without mutual consent. Any such work requires prior agreement between the two nations," he said.

The adviser said India has already fenced 3,271 kilometres of the 4,156-kilometer-long border with Bangladesh, leaving approximately 885 kilometres unfenced. 

In recent months, the relations between both neighbours have not been through the best of their times. Earlier this week, Dhaka decided to skip an event organised by India to celebrate the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD. Bangladesh's denial was attributed to what it calls 'restrictions on non-essential foreign travel at government expense'.

(With PTI inputs)

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