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Delhi seeks Dhaka flexibility on fence |
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India is expecting greater “flexibility” from Bangladesh to complete fencing of the 4,096-km-long international border within the new deadline.
After facing criticism recently from students’ unions in Assam for pushing back the deadline for completion of fencing to 2008, the Centre has said it faces hurdles owing to Bangladesh’s opposition to barbed wire fencing in many areas.
As many as 265 patches along the border have habitations within 150 yards of the zero line. According to the Indo-Bangla¬desh treaty of 1972, there cannot be fencing within 150 yards of the zero line.
The neighbouring country has often cited the 1975 border guidelines to oppose barbed wire fencing along the border and insisted that there should be “boxed fences”, through which people can pass.
“They feel that barbed wire fencing is a military fortifica¬tion, which is untrue. But we are hopeful about regular talks being held and are coming around to a point where things will be smoother,” said a Union Home Ministry official.
Several NGOs and political parties in Assam have blamed the fact that the fencing has not been completed as the reason for growing illegal migration from Bangladesh into the Northeast.
Sources said fencing was on, but work could not progress at some patches unless Bangladesh agreed.
With the Calcutta-Dhaka railway link on track, India will construct a railway line right up to the border. That, many believe, will at least symbolically “open their minds to our point of view”.
Again, there are land acquisition problems along 160km on the border, 70km of which lies in West Bengal while the rest is in Meghalaya, Assam and Tripura.
Of the total length, fencing has been completed along ap¬proximately 2,500km. Fencing is in progress along 420km in Mizor¬am and Tripura, sources said, while fencing remains to be carried out along 700km of this porous international border.
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