“No militant camps in Bangladesh”

SHILLONG, JULY 15: The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) today said there are no militant camps of insurgent groups from the North East region in the Bangladesh territory.

“These are the perceptions but I come from that part of the land and frankly speaking from my heart there is none (militant camps),” BGB Addl Director General M Zahid told reporters after a coordination conference between Inspectors General, BSF and Region Commanders, BGB concluded here.

Zahid, who led a delegation of 23 officials, however maintained that the leadership at the higest level has got a toughest stand on this which is zero tolerance.

Informing that a delegation of both the forces also met the Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) SB Singh to disscuss on the matter, he said, “We had discuss on this issue and we are very sure that there are no such places of the so-called insurgents.”

“However, we have discussed that any kind of real time information from both the forces at the bordering areas, we will promptly act if there is any. But I request don’t go with this perception,” he added.

Earlier, BSF Meghalaya Frontier Inspector General PK Dubey also said there are no camps which used to be there and this was the result of concerted efforts at all levels.

“There are no regulated camps which were there earlier 10 years back. So that thing should go away from our mind,” Dubey asserted adding “These fellows are hiding in some of the forest areas or in some of the relatives by changing their identity or by marrying a girl there.”

Referring to the meeting held with the state police chief yesterday, the BSF IG informed that action plan has been drawn to find out the intelligence about them (insurgents).

“If it (information) is available it will be given to them (BGB) and they will take action and immediately handover the fellows (militants) to us,” he said.

Stating that the BGB is fully cooperating on this, Dubey however said, “But only thing is that as a criminal if they hide in some f the houses in somebody in the vicinity of the border then concrete information is not available with us.”

“We are working on that and our intelligence agency including other sister agencies (police and others) they are developing information and we will pass on to them (BGB) and take actions.”

During the four day conference, the BGB had also expressed zero tolerance for smuggling of fire arms and explosives, human trafficking and drugs to which both have agreed to enhance the confidence building measures on the ground.

Asked, BGB Additional Director General said, “We do not produce any drugs in Bangladesh. In our agenda we have raised concern over huge number of drugs from this part of India is flooded in our bordering areas.”

Stating that this (menace of drugs) is actually destabilizing our social balance especially the youngsters, Zahid said, “This was our much highlighted agenda that this must be curbed in the bordering areas so that no such drugs are smuggled into Bangladesh.”

On whether the Jaamat-ul-Mujahideen – an Islamic terrorist organization operating in Bangladesh is having any linkages with NE’s militant outfits, he said,” I am not the right agency to answer that but certainly all of us are concern regarding this kind of incidents and we have agreed that these criminals they don’t have any nationality and for all of us the concerns are same.”

Particularly in Bangladesh, Zahid said, “Our government has taken a higest possible stand on it and there is no such organization in our country and all the law enforcing agencies are working on that if there is any.”