Tension grips Joypurhat border after BGB halts BSF re-fencing attempt
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Tension has returned to the Joypurhat border after Bangladesh border troopers stopped an attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to re-fence a sensitive stretch of the frontier, raising fresh concerns among residents of the area.
The incident unfolded on Saturday at Ghonapara along the East Uchna border under Panchbibi Upazila, where BSF personnel began installing fencing close to sub-pillars 47, 48 and 49 of main pillar 281, within the jurisdiction of the Kaya Border Outpost.
Locals said the work was being carried out near the zero line, an area governed by strict bilateral border regulations.
Residents who noticed the activity alerted the Kaya camp of the Joypurhat-20 Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). BGB personnel rushed to the site and immediately objected, arguing that the fencing violated agreed international border norms.
Following the intervention, the BSF halted the work and withdrew from the area.
A flag meeting between the two forces was later held in an effort to defuse the situation and discuss the disputed fencing attempt. Despite this, tension resurfaced on Sunday morning, with locals alleging that BSF members engaged in provocative activities near the border.
In response, the BGB intensified patrols and took up defensive positions along the frontier.
Former Dharanji Union member Abdul Gani said unease had gripped the area since Sunday morning. Union BNP Vice-President Kabir Hossain echoed the concern, saying fear had spread among villagers living close to the border amid the renewed standoff.
Sources said the BGB has been seeking further communication with the BSF to resolve the issue. BGB officials, however, declined to comment despite repeated attempts to reach them.
The episode is the latest in a series of similar incidents. BSF personnel had previously attempted to install barbed-wire fencing at the same location in January this year and again in September last year, only to be stopped following objections from the BGB.