Bangladesh today (Jan 12) summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, as India attempted to build a fence on the 150-yard no-man's-land between the countries breaching the international law.

Earlier, Home affairs adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that India has started construction of barbed wire fences at five places on the border. 

He also said: "India has been forced to stop work at those places due to the strong stand of the local people with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Prannoy Verma will be summoned regarding these incidents."

He said this at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Law and Order at the conference room of the Home Ministry at the Secretariat in the capital.

The adviser also said that four memorandums of understanding have been signed so far with Bangladesh and India on border demarcation and with the border guard forces of both countries.

Meanwhile, a large contingent of BSF personnel were deployed in the Indian side along the border, while 1.5 platoons of BGB members were stationed in the Bangladesh side. 

Local people also accompanied the BGB, according to its officials and local people.

International laws do not allow the installation of any infrastructure within 150 yards of the no-man's-land.

BGB officials said that local residents informed them on Friday morning that the BSF was constructing a barbed-wire fence engaging 30–35. 

BGB 51 Battalion assistant director Amir Khasru said that they protested the BSF act instantly. 

'Responding to our protest, they initially halted the work but a little later they started building the fence again,' said Khasru, adding that 1.5 platoons of BGB members were deployed along the border over the issue.

Tension along the border began escalating since the last week of December last year over BSF's attempts to build fence and other structures. 

BDST: 1556 HRS, JAN 12, 2025
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