By Gautam Debroy
New Delhi: Even as the border fencing by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Bangladesh border faces fresh deterrence by the Bangladesh side, there are at least 95 patches within 150 yards of the international boundary, the Centre thinks needs urgent fencing.
"The fencing is necessary to stop illegal activities and stop crossing of anti-India elements inside the Indian territory," BSF spokesperson Subhendu Bharadwaj told ETV Bharat.
As per BSF data, there are over 80 villages on the Indian side within 150 yards of the India-Bangladesh International Border (IBIB) but outside the conventional fencing. The villages are spread in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.
Porus Border
The historic Assam Accord of 1985 led to the beginning of the physical work to fence the 4,096.7 kilometers-long India’s border with Bangladesh. By December 2015, the 2,708.77 km of border were fenced out of the sanctioned barbed wire fencing of 3,326.14 km.
According to the annual report of the Union Home Ministry, 3,196.70 km has been covered by physical fencing till 2023-24. which shows, only 487.93 km of border could be fenced in the next nine years. The delay-dying attitude of the Home Ministry slowed down the fencing work after 2015, leaving 900 km of border porous.
The 1975 Joint India-Bangladesh Guidelines prohibit constructing defence structures within 150 yards of the international boundary (zero line) and India does not classify wire fencing as a defence structure.
Security Challenge
There are 54 small and big rivers that flow between India and Bangladesh making fencing work in those areas totally impossible. The security challenges posed by the porous border were back on focus after the unearthing of terror modules of the Bangladesh-based terrorist group, the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) in Assam and West Bengal. In addition, the movement of Pakistan-based Jaish e Mohammad activists along the India-Bangladesh border has also raised major concerns for India.
Renewed Push & Challenges
India’s renewed push to the border fencing work was halted due to Bangladesh's strong objections to the construction along the zero line areas. During the Awami League regime of Sheikh Hasina, India took the consent of the BGB by sharing its plan to put up a single-row fence within 150 km of the border pillar at Sabdalpur village in Malda district. However, fencing work had not been taken up.
Challenges Faced By Villagers Living Inside the 150 Yards Of International Boundary
According to the Banglar Manabadhikar Surksha Mancha (MASUM), local farmers living within 150 yards of the international boundary cannot access markets in time to sell their produce, as they must often wait overnight to reach the market by early morning.
"While the gate does not open until 7–8 a.m. This delay leads to loss of income and difficulties in agricultural trade," MASUM secretary Kirity Roy told ETV Bharat.
On many occasions, MASUM raised the problems faced by the people with the West Bengal government, the Centre as well as National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
"Children in the community face difficulties attending tuition and other educational opportunities due to the opening of the gate schedule. Residents are unable to access medical facilities or even arrange family occasions, such as marriages, without severe logistical hurdles. The village lacks essential facilities such as safe drinking water, road connectivity, and irrigation systems, further exacerbating the issues caused by the restricted gate timings," Roy said.
MASUM is an organisation of social activists, professionals, doctors, and lawyers that works to enforce the rights of marginalised people and decrease the systematic discrimination of the marginalised.
"There are around 80,000 people who are living within 150 yards from the India-Bangladesh International Boundary who face daily challenges and are deprived of their fundamental rights," said Roy.
Letter To NHRC
In the latest letter written to the NHRC, Roy highlighted the alleged harassment of villagers surrounded by fencing due to restriction on fencing gate opening in the bordering village Seuti-II, Shukarukuti GP of the district of Coach Bihar.
"Seuti-II is a village of Coach Bihar district on the Indo-Bangladesh border where 43 families of 83 people of minority Muslims live under fencing. All families are inhabited in their ancestral land for many years and they use gate number 17 for their daily purpose which is controlled by Kushahat BOP-Company 90 Bn BSF," Roy said.
Agriculture and agrarian daily labour are the main occupations of these people of Seuti-II. In this border area, these villagers have 380 bighas of agricultural land where they produce different vegetables. But the fencing gate is creating dreadful effects on their agriculture, livelihood and more importantly on their life as they have limited freedom to access their houses, fields, schools, health centres, markets etc. due to restrictions on fencing gates.
"According to the custom and rule of the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Directorate General Border Security Force 13 years ago, Gate no. 17 was open for the whole day, but over the years the time span of gate opening time is decreased by BSF. Now this gate is open three times a day only for one hour (7 am to 8 am, 11 am to 12 pm, and 4 pm to 5 pm). Apart from that, it takes 40 to 50 minutes to enter the name of the villagers after opening the gate. So, most of the time villagers are unable to cross the gate due to lack of time. This situation leads to many unfortunate events in the areas," Roy said.
According to Roy, the situation is affecting children's education which leads to school dropout. "Even severely ill people, pregnant women are not allowed to access the gate to reach the health centre apart from the mentioned time. Life of these people is totally stuck between fencing which makes them more vulnerable as well as distant from other citizens of India. The whole situation also affects the socio-economic condition of these people," he said.
