From DNA
Oct 4, 2010
Bangladesh will go ahead with the fencing project along the international border, but only after a joint verification is carried out for the alignment of the proposed 'single channel' fence in over 30 patches that Dhaka has objections to, a top BSF official has said.
BSF inspector general (Assam and Meghalaya frontier) RC Saxena, who was part of the delegation that met top Bangladeshi officials in Dhaka a week ago, said Bangladesh agreed to allow India fence the border, but proposed a joint verification in the 31 patches along the international boundary in Assam and Meghalaya.
"Bangladesh government has been objecting to the fencing in these patches as the proposed alignment is within 150 yards from zero line. The fencing cannot be erected at 150 yards due to terrain constraints," Saxena said.
Bangladeh was told that a 'single channel' fence would be erected instead of the double barbed-wire fence.
"They have agreed for a joint verification. This will be done over a period of time... say two to three patches at a time. But, no timeframe has been fixed for completion of the joint survey. We have asked them to expedite the verification process," Saxena said.
Officials said of the 571km of the sanctioned fencing work on the Bangladesh border of Assam and Meghalaya, only 248 km has been completed.
"Work is in progress in 123km, while there have been objections either from Meghalaya or from Bangladesh in the remaining stretches," they said.
While some villagers in Meghalaya are objecting to the fencing fearing their lands would fall on the other side, Bangladesh is protesting erection of the fencing within 150 yards of the border.
Saxena said Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma has agreed to have a 'second look' at the matter. "A meeting will be held between the BSF and the state government soon, to discuss the issue," the BSF official said.
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