Friday, December 31, 2010

Likely Rate of Dearness Allowance (DA) For Jan-Jun 2011

The Labour Bureau, Government of India has released All India Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) on base 2001=100 for the month of Nov 2010. The value of the index for Nov 2010 is 182. Based on the figures of last eleven out of relevant twelve months the tentative calculation of Dearness Allowance for Central Government Employees comes to 51%.


The final calculation, however will be available after taking into consideration the AICPI figures for Dec 2010.

Three rebels held in Meghalaya, infiltration bid foiled

From The Hindustan Times
Indo-Asian News Service
Shillong, December 30, 2010
Three Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) rebels were arrested from the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, a Border Security Force (BSF) official said on Thursday. "The rebels were arrested Wednesday while they were trying to infiltrate into India from Bangladesh via Purakhasia area," BSF Spokesman Ravi Gandhi said.
Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of it porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to frequent infiltrations.
The rebels identified themselves as Abdul Rasid, Bansar Ali and Zaffar Ali.
An amount of Rs 3,130 and two sarees worth Rs 1,000 were recovered from their possession.
The rebels would be handed over to Meghalaya Police, the BSF said.

Is the terror suspect arrested in Gujarat a jilted lover?

From DNA
Friday, Dec 31, 2010, 12:10 IST 
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Ahmedabad
The Gujarat ATS sleuths’ investigations have stumbled upon a strange clue, while searching the room of terror suspect Ravindra Chaudhary.
They discovered a letter ‘Meri Pyar Ki Kahani’ allegedly written by Chaudhary and addressed to his girlfriend who was studying with him.
Sources in ATS said that the letter says that his father had beaten him up after the girl’s father complained to him about the relationship.
“He left his home after his father beat him at his home in Jalgaon in Maharashtra,” sources said. However, the ATS is still probing the exact motive behind spying in the BSF headquarters and befriending BSF personnel.
The ATS found maps and SIM Cards from him.

BSF men posted at secretariat to keep agitators at bay

From siasat.com
Hyderabad, December 31: Security was beefed up at the Secretariat as a precautionary measure to check any type of violence by the Telangana activists.
As Justice B N Srikrishna Committee submitted its report to the Centre on Thursday, fool-proof security arrangements were made at the Secretariat to successfully tackle any eventuality.
A large number of Boarder Security Force (BSF) personnel were deployed at the Secretariat. The BSF men carrying sophisticated arms like AK 47s and SLR rifles kept an eagle eye on the surrounding areas of the Secretariat.
Firstly, it was decided to deploy Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Secretariat. But keeping in mind the importance of the place, which was hosting the offices of the Chief Minister and ministers, the police officials had decided deploy BSF personnel for efficient handling at the Secretariat.
As earlier, the Special Protection Force would look after inside security and entrance checking of the Secretariat.
NSS

Fake BSF jawan arrested with SIM cards, maps

From DailyBhaskar.in
30/12/10
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Anti-terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested one person on Tuesday and reportedly detained a few others on suspicion of spying at the headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Gandhinagar. Two SIM cards and some maps were seized from the arrested man's possession. As the phone cards were used to contact phone numbers in Jammu and Kashmir, the ATS has not ruled the possibility of a terror link in the entire episode.
Talking to mediapersons, ATS chief Ajay Tomar said that on the basis of a complaint filed by the BSF Gandhinagar, the ATS had arrested one Ravindra Babu Chaudhary from a village in Gandhinagar.
Chauhan, who belongs to Jalgaon in Maharashtra, had been living in a rented house in the Alampur village of Gandhinagar district with a fake identity card claiming that he was a BSF jawan. Besides the SIM cards, the ATS has seized some other fake identity cards from his possession. "The SIM cards were used on many phones to connect to phone numbers in Jammu and Kashmir," Tomar said.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that posing as a cook in a BSF battalion, Chaudhary was in contact with some BSF jawans and had even sold a bike to one BSF personnel. "He was trying to establish a relationship with the BSF personnel while keeping a close watch on the movement of BSF officials," a source said.
Chaudhary was nabbed on the basis of information provided by the intelligence cell of the BSF. Tomar also told mediapersons that Chaudhary had studied up to first year in college and was doing nothing for a livelihood.
"We even questioned his parents in Jalgaon who are not in a position to afford him a rented house," Tomar said. He further said that Chaudhary had hired a BSF uniform and some another uniforms from some place. He also had a fake identity card of the deputy director of the fisheries department with his original photograph on it. "He has more than two fake identity cards. We suspect he could be misusing it," Tomar said.
The ATS is also investigating the case to find out whether it had any connection with the current terror alert. "It is very difficult to say anything, but there could be some motive behind keeping fake identity cards and infiltrating a BSF camp," Tomar said. Chaudhary is currently on five days' police remand.

At India-Pakistan border, fog is currently the enemy

From myindia mynews

31 DECEMBER 2010

Chandigarh:  India’s Border Security Force (BSF) is battling an unlikely enemy along the 553-km international border with Pakistan in Punjab – fog. And it is using hot tea and extra patrolling to keep its personnel active and ensure that no intruder slips in.
With dense fog prevailing over most areas of the international border, called Radcliffe Line, the BSF has to ensure that no illegal movement or infiltration takes place through the heavily barbed-wire-fenced border.
But being fogged out by nature has not dampened spirits. Troopers of the frontier paramilitary agency to guard the international border are keeping utmost vigil even in the most trying and bone-chilling weather conditions. Night time temperatures have been varying from 0 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius.
“These days there is a thick cover of fog during night and it clears up partially late in the day. It is accompanied by biting cold. Keeping these circumstances in mind, we have increased the personnel at the border. We have also enhanced the frequency of our patrolling,” Himmat Singh, BSF’s Punjab frontier inspector general (IG), told IANS.
Himmat Singh added: “It is one of the most difficult times of the year as visibility level reduces to almost zero. There is dense fog as it is majorly a riverine area. Therefore, we have given special briefing to our troopers and told them to remain alert and be extra-cautious. We always make sure that they are in high spirits and their morale is high.”
“We have also started serving our jawans posted at the international border hot tea twice between the time slot of 12 midnight to 3 to 4 a.m. Tea will help them in keeping fresh and we also make sure that they are awake.”
The tea is ferried from the bases, about 100 metres to two kilometres away, to the troopers. The extra movement at night also doubles up as additional patrol, officials said.
Met officials say that any respite from ground fog in the next few days is unlikely.
“This is a natural phenomenon and it will continue for some more days. We always have dense fog at the borders during winters. We are expecting light to moderate rainfall in the coming days and weather will become clear after it,” Surender Paul, meteorological director at Chandigarh, told IANS.
The border fence, which is electrified and is located 100-500 metres inside Indian territory, runs mainly through Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts. The fencing was erected in early 1990s to stop unchecked infiltration of trained terrorists and smugglers from the Pakistan side during Punjab’s terrorism days (1981-95).
According to the BSF IG, though the vigil along the border was very strict, attempts of infiltration from the Pakistani side could not be ruled out.
“The danger of infiltration is always there. We cannot deny it and it can happen any time. But we have alerted our troops. They are all set to maintain our border domination and ready to tackle any kind of attack,” Singh said.
Despite the strong BSF presence and the barbed wire fencing, big quantities of drugs and some weapons continue to be smuggled through it.
In November 2009, the BSF had also inducted women troopers to guard the international border along with their male counterparts.
In the last 18 months, suspected terrorists in Pakistan have fired rockets and automatic gunfire into Indian territory at least five times.
Most of the incidents happened in the vicinity of the Attari border, about 30 km from the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, 250 km from here.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Border Guard Bangladesh - Overview From BD Media

From bdmilitary.com
The Border Guard Bangladesh or BGB (formerly known as Bangladesh Rifles or BDR) is the largest and oldest border security force of the Bangladesh. Its history dates back to the Colonial period where it was known as the Ramgarh Local Battalion in 1795.
Its mission is to protect, defend and safeguard the border of Bangladesh and prevent smuggling in addition to assisting the civilian and military authorities as per the direction of the government.
The BGB is headed by a Director General of the rank of Major General, normally deputed from the Bangladesh Army. Its manpower strength is 67,000 and is organised by a central headquarter, sectors, battalions and border outposts. Its forces are mainly stationed along the border areas of Bangladesh. In addition to being equipped with light infantry weapons and land-based logistical support it also operates helicopters and patrol vessels for transportation and patrolling purposes.
History
The Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) has the honour of a time tested, illustrious history of military operations spanning centuries. Its personnel fought valiantly in first and second World Wars, the independence war of Bangladesh and a large number of border skirmishes against neighbouring India and Myanmar.
Ramgarh Local Battalion (1795-1861): The BGB began its journey in 1795 as the “Frontier Protection Force” under the command of the East India Company. Later the force was converted in to a paramilitary unit with its own name (Ramgarh Local Battalion) and uniform to suppress insurgents around the Ramgarh area. During 1799, the force established its first camp at today’s Dhaka’s Peelkhana, where the headquarters still remain to this day. The camp unit was known as “Special Reserve Company”.
Frontier Guards (1861-1891): The Ramgarh Local Battalion was renamed the Frontier Guards befitting its wider role as defenders.
Bengal Military Police (1891-1919): The Frontier Guards was reorganised and equipped with more modern weapons in 1891 as the “Bengal Military Police”. Commanded by a Subedar (Senior Warrant Officer), the BMP had four companies located at Dhaka, Dhumka and Gangtok.
Eastern Frontier Rifles (1920-1947): The Bengal Military Police was reorganised and renamed as the “Eastern Frontier Rifles” in 1920 to protect the borders of the country.
East Pakistan Rifles (1947-1972): After the partition of the Indian sub-continent “Eastern Frontier Rifles” was regrouped and renamed the “East Pakistan Rifles”. A metropolitan armed police unit from Kolkata and some 1,000 ex-soldiers of West Pakistan merged in to the force. Officers from the Pakistan Army were assigned to command the force. The strength of the force was 13,454 in March 1971.
Bangladesh Rifles (1972-2009): After the emergence of Bangladesh, the East Pakistan Rifles was renamed as the “Bangladesh Rifles” in 1972. Officers from the Bangladesh Army commanded the force as was done in the past.
Border Guard Bangladesh (2009-Present): On the 25th of February 2009, three to four thousand soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutinied killing more than 50 officers including inside the Peelkhana based headquarters in Dhaka. The Director General of BDR, Major General Shakil Ahmed, most of the sector commanders including the Dhaka sector commander Colonel Mujibul Haq were viciously killed in the ensuing violence.
Later on the government chose to reorganise and rename the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) through an act passed in the parliament.
Organisation
At present there are 61 battalions in the Border Guards of Bangladesh.
The Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) is commanded by a Major General given the title of Director General. He is assisted by a Deputy Director General of the Brigadier General rank.
A colonel level officer is the Director of Operations and Training in this paramilitary force, while another officer of the same rank is the Director Administration.
The force is organised in to 4 regional headquarters including Southwestern regional HQ: Jessore, Northwestern regional HQ: Naogaon, Northeastern regional HQ: Sarail, Brahmanbaria, Southeastern regional HQ: Khagrachari, 12 operational sectors including Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Comilla, Chittagong, Rangamati, Khagrachari, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Kushtia and Khulna. Each sector is commanded by a Colonel, seconded from the Bangladesh Army.
Currently the BGB Director General is Major General Rafiqul Islam. He assumed his duty as the chief of the BGB on the 15th of April 2010.
Training
BGB personnel are imparted with standard military training as well as law enforcement, special warfare and counter terrorism training.
The main training centre is known as Baitul Izzat and is located in Chittagong.
Equipment
The BGB is equipped with night vision gear, an array of modern communications devices such as frequency hopping radios. Weapons of the force include rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, pistols, recoilless rifles. Transportation is undertaken through the use of unarmoured troop carrying trucks, pickup trucks, armoured personnel carriers, motorbikes, armoured landing craft, patrol vessels and helicopters.

BDR becomes BGB

From daily Sun, Bangladesh

Operates Under New LawThe mutiny-maimed Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is finally reborn as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as President Zillur Rahman signed the new law to this effect.

With tougher provisions stipulated in the law, the Border Guard Bangladesh Act 2010 will be effective from 23 December.

Commander of 24 Rifle Battalion Lt Col Shamsur Rahman disclosed this at a press conference after hearing on a case Tuesday.

“The president Monday assented to the bill that transformed BDR into BGB, changing its logo and making death penalty as the maximum punishment for mutiny,” he told reporters.

Col Shamsur Rahman, however, said the trial of the BDR mutiny would be carried out under the existing BDR law. “But any crime committed after 23 December will be tried under the new law,” he informed the journalists.

Earlier on 8 December, parliament had passed the Border Guard Bangladesh Bill 2010 aimed at building up an efficient border security force by reorganising the mutiny-ridden BDR.

The bill was passed as Home Minister Sahara Khatun proposed its enactment for the sake of speeding up the trial of BDR mutineers, accused of killing of 74 people, including 57 army officers, at the Pilkhana headquarters last year.

On 6 December, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Ministry placed its report on ‘The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Bill 2010’.

On 20 September, the home minister piloted the bill proposing maximum penalty as death sentence for grave offences that was previously only seven years imprisonment under the BDR Act.

Sahara Khatun earlier had said that the bill was formulated annulling the existing Bangladesh Rifles Order 1972 and Bangladesh Rifles (Special Provisions) Ordinance 1976.

The new law sets 13 types of punishment, including death sentence and life imprisonment.

It will also empower the additional director-general-level officers to try offenders.

As per the new law, three types of Border Guard courts—Special Border Guard Court, Special Summary Border Guard Court and Summary Border Guard Court—will be created for trying different types of offences.

The director-general or a regional commander authorised by the director-general will head the Special Border Guard Court, which is authorised to award any punishment stipulated in the bill.

An officer of deputy director-general level will be able to lead the Special Summary Border Guard Court, which is authorised to award up to five years in jail or other sorts of light punishment.

The Summary Border Guard Court will be headed at least by an additional director-general and can hand down one-year jail.

There will also be an appeal body styled “Border Guard Appeal Tribunal” before which the convicted persons can appeal for reconsideration of the punishment awarded by the border-guard courts.

The convicts, as per the new law, cannot appeal to any civilian courts, including the Supreme Court, against the verdicts of the border-guard courts or of the border-guard appeal tribunal.

—Banglanews
http://www.daily-sun.com/?view=details&type=daily_sun_news&pub_no=74&cat_id=1&menu_id=1&news_type_id=1&news_id=14605&archiev=yes&arch_date=22-12-2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Pak Army violates ceasefire again

From Pak press:BSF hands over 76 Pakistani prisoners to Pak Rangers

One detained for snooping on BSF

From BD Press:BSF ignores BGB proposal to shut drug factories on Indian border

Three Bangladeshis apprehended from border near Kutch by BSF

BSF on alert along Indo-Bangla border after busting of ULFA hideouts

United News of India
Shillong, December 27, 2010

The Border Security Force (BSF) has sounded a high alert along the Indo-Bangladesh border after the Bangladesh Border Guards (BBG) busted ULFA's hideouts.

"We have alerted our troops along the Indo-Bangladesh border, especially along Meghalaya. The troops have been asked to keep a strict vigil and remain on high alert for any possible attempts of intrusion and other suspect activities," Inspector General of BSF (Assam-Meghalaya frontier) R C Saxena told UNI today.

"The situation on the border is perfectly calm at present," he added.

Bangladesh's security forces on Saturday seized a huge cache of ammunition, some CDs, 19 (cell phone) SIM cards, five walkie-talkies, Indian currency notes and incriminating documents of the ULFA from Bakagora village in Sherpur district bordering Meghalaya.

On December 18, the Bangladesh forces also seized 13,680 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

"This is a good step and we appreciate the steps taken by Bangladesh authorities which is in the interest of peace and harmony in the region," Mr Saxena said.

NNN

Radio Misty celebrates with BSF

बीएसएफ ने लगाया मेडिकल कैम्प

Bangladeshi killed by BSF near BDR camp

Dec 24, 2010
Indian border guards Border Security Forces (BSF) have shot dead a Bangladeshi youth at Hatibandha Upazila under Lalmonirhat District of Bangladesh today (December 25, 2010).

Witnesses said Saifur Rahman, 22, a cattle trader and resident of Dakkhin Gotamari village at the Upazila fell victim to BSF firing while returning home from India around 6.30am on Friday.


Earlier, a Bangladeshi national named Abdur Rashid, 35, son of Abu Chan Miadead was killed on Balapara frontier in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari District of the country in the early hours on December 17, 2010.


Mentioned that, Mr. Saifur Rahman is the 4th victim of Indian BSF after the killing of Chapainawabganj, Jessore and Nilphamari within the last 15 days.










Lalmonirhat 31 Rifles Battalion deputy commander Maj Shafique Uddin said Safiur died on the spot as the Indian border guards fired shots on him near Daikhawa camp of Bangladesh border guards.

He said: "The body was taken away by the BSF personnel. BDR have sent a letter asking for return of the body."
http://latestworldbusinessnews.blogspot.com/2010/12/bangladeshi-killed-by-bsf-near-bdr-camp.html