India and Bangladesh on Tuesday have agreed to step up vigil along the international border.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) will conduct joint patrolling and set up more Border Out Posts (BOPs) along the unfenced borders.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the district magistrates and deputy commisioners of Mizoram and Rangamati and Bandarban hill districts of south-east Bangladesh and senior officials of BSF and BGB in Aizawl.
The meeting was also attended by officials from the ministries of Home, External Affairs, Commerce and Industries, and Land Record of both the countries.
Mizoram has an unfenced international border of 404 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh. While the BSF guards the Bangladesh border, the border with Myanmar is secured by the Assam Rifles.
Border trades and setting up of ‘border haats’ between both the neighbouring countries were also discussed in the meeting.
Both sides also discussed and formulated strategies to prevent trafficking of women and children, smuggling of narcotic substances and forest products to Bangladesh and illegal cross-border trade.
Officials also discussed establishment of deportation centre for illegal migrants and criminals and joint border survey of land along the border area.