The Article published in Bangladesh Media channel Asian Age on January 7, 2025 regarding BGB re-claiming 05 km border area in area of village Matila in Jhenaidah is baseless, irresponsible and bereft of any truth and merit. The area in question is of village Ranghat in Bagdah block, North 24 parganas District on India side, where IB is running along the river Kodaliya and well demarcated by reference pillars on either side of the IB due to border being riverine. There is no change in status of IB, or duty pattern of BSF since ages. Both BSF and BGB perform duty on their side of Kodaliya river, the centre of which is the IB. The area is unfenced and prone to smuggling and cross border infiltration by BD nationals into Indian territory. The BSF has taken a lot of measures to curb the cross-border infiltration from this area and now the infiltration attempts from this area have been brought down to negligible.
Actual ground situation is intact and under peaceful domination by both border guarding forces as per understanding of ‘India-Bangladesh Border guideline 1975’.
BSF is guarding border with sincerity and devotion, maintaining the integrity of the International Boundary. Claims in the article that on December 19, 2024 BGB personnel had begun 24 hours patrolling using motorised boats and ATVs to gain control over the river is nothing but a concocted story. The false and fabricated claims made by the newly appointed commanding officer of 58 BGB Lt Col Rafique Islam are strongly refuted, as such articles and media reports will only erode the goodwill between the two Border Guarding Forces. BSF assures that not an inch of Indian land is either taken over nor will be taken over by the counterpart. Both the BGF’s are peacefully dominating their area well within the limits.
(A release from BSF)
