GUWAHATI, May 26 – Though the anti-smuggling operations by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the Indo-Bangla border have been paying rich dividends, the border guarding agency has not been able to completely check smuggling mainly because of the terrain along the border. Seizure of smuggled goods by the BSF increased considerably in the last few years with the increase in the strength of the border guarding force along the Indo-Bangla border. Only late last night, more than 200 kilograms of ganja worth about Rs 12 lakh was seized by BSF near the Mahamaya char in Dhubri district. BSF sources said that the ganja, properly packed in polythene packs, was taken in four country boats. The smugglers were posing as fishermen,carrying fishing nets. The boats and the fishing nets were also seized by the BSF. However, the smugglers managed to escape under the cover of darkness, sources said.
According to records available, last year, smuggled goods worth more than Rs 6.50 crore were seized by BSF men posted along the international border in Shillong, Tura and Guwahati sectors. The goods seized included forest produce worth more than Rs 2.45 crore and contraband goods worth more than Rs 19 lakh. Last year, the BSF apprehended more than 300 smugglers including Bangladeshi nationals in Assam and Meghalaya.
However, despite their best efforts, the BSF personnel have not been able to completely check smuggling of goods to and from the neighbouring country, mainly because of the terrain. This correspondent visited some of the border areas in Tura and Dhubri districts and found that the terrain and the failure of the authorities concerned to provide identity cards to the people living in the border areas are some of the major hurdles in the way of detection of smugglers and illegal migrants from Bangladesh.
In Tura sector, the international border is covered with dense forest areas, thus limiting visibility to a great extent and it is not possible for the border-guarding agency to post personnel to guard every inch of the border. The condition of the border fencing also needs improvement as the fencing is broken in many parts and covered with dense forest, making it easy for the smugglers and illegal migrants to sneak into India from Bangladesh. Herds of wild elephants also damage the fencing quite often, helping the smugglers to sneak into India. Despite the hurdles, the seizure of smuggled goods and apprehension of smugglers increased considerably in the Tura sector over the years and the increase in the strength of the BSF in the sector with the setting up of a sector headquarter headed by an officer of the rank of deputy inspector general also added teeth to the BSF operations in the area.
The terrain also proves to be a big hurdle for the BSF men posted in Dhubri district with nearly 50 kilometres of riverine border. The fencing constructed along the international border needs immediate improvement as the fencing is broken in many places, making it easy for the smugglers and illegal migrants to sneak into the country from Bangladesh. In fact, the design of the fencing was such that most parts of the same is submerged in water during the rainy season, as a result of which, it is damaged frequently. BSF sources pointed out that the fencing should have been constructed along the border road to ensure its longevity.
The riverine border is also a problem for the BSF men and though speed boats and country boats are in use, it is almost impossible to check each and every country boat passing through the area at night when the visibility is almost zero. The BSF submitted a proposal to the State Government to regulate the running of the boats in the area from a few specific points but that could not be done and it is impossible to check each and every boat passing through the area.
The problem for the BSF complicated with the presence of the chars along the international border. Interestingly, the international boundary passes right through some of the chars including the Masalabari char and as the people of both India and Bangladesh live in the chars, it is almost impossible for anyone to detect who is an Indian and who is not. The BSF had requested the Government to provide identity cards to the Indian citizens living along the international boundary, but that has not yet been done. Interestingly a number of engine fitted country boats ply from these chars in the border areas to Dhubri town every day and though the BSF men check the boats regularly, it is difficult to identify an Indian citizen from a foreigner without any identification paper.