India-Bangladesh Holded 56th DG-Level Border Coordination Conference in Dhaka from 25–28 August 2025.
Defence
From 25 to 28 August 2025, India and Bangladesh convened the 56th DG-Level Border Coordination Conference in Dhaka, aiming to strengthen border management and security collaboration. The event brought together border chiefs along with officials from home, external affairs, and border agencies of both countries to address pressing bilateral concerns.
- The four-day conference took place at the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, and was graced by the leadership of BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui and BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary, who headed their respective delegations. The Indian side comprised 11 members including senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, while the BGB invited delegates from multiple national agencies.
- These DG-level bilateral meetings, instituted in the mid-1970s, were made biannual in 1993 to foster continuous dialogue and stronger border cooperation. This edition follows the 55th conference held in New Delhi in February 2025.
- Key topics included the reduction of border killings, curbing illegal infiltration and unauthorized crossings, preventing drug, arms, and contraband smuggling, and tackling insurgent activity. Plans to prevent unauthorized construction within 150 yards of the border, conserve riverbanks and ensure fair water sharing also featured prominently.
Main Point :- (i) Both sides recommitted to the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Plan, shared real-time intelligence, conducted joint patrols, and agreed on community outreach programs. A decision was taken to hold the next conference in New Delhi in March 2026.
(ii) Bangladesh expressed deep concern about the repeated incidences of violence, including shootings and injuries to Bangladeshi nationals by BSF personnel, which have heightened public tensions. India assured stricter enforcement of rules of engagement, increased night patrols, and collaborative efforts to eliminate such incidents.
(iii) Discussions extended beyond security to include contentious issues like anti-Bangladesh propaganda in the Indian media. Addressing these sensitivities alongside border concerns demonstrated a broader commitment to preserving bilateral balance amid political transitions in both countries.
About Bangladesh
President: Mohammed Shahabuddin
Capital: Dhaka
____________________________
