Guwahati is the host to 51st edition of Indo-Bangla DG-level border talks from Tuesday, December 22.
It is for the first time that the biannual Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and its counterpart Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) is being held outside New Delhi.
Ever since the biannual talks began in 1993, the talks were held in New Delhi or Dhaka.
The Indo-Bangla DG-level border talks were held annually between 1975 and 1992 but they were made biannual in 1993 with either side alternatively travelling to the national capitals of New Delhi and Dhaka.
The Director General level talks is being held to discuss border related issues and enable better coordination both the border guarding forces.
Several key issues relating to border management are to be taken up during the discussions in Guwahati.
Curbing border crimes and enhancing cooperation between the two countries would be the key agendas during the four-day long meet.
Fencing of unfenced areas is also one of the key issues that the BSF is likely to take up during the discussions.
The two sides are also expected to solidify new standard operating procedures (SOPs) in view of the crossing over of a ‘significant’ number of mentally-challenged Indian nationals to Bangladesh.
Deliberations will also be held on developmental and infrastructure works, joint efforts for implementation of Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) and confidence building measure.
Notably, BSF’s Guwahati frontier headquarters is responsible for guarding 495 kilometres of the 4,096km-long India-Bangladesh border.
With the talks taking place close to the international border, top brass of both sides might take up the opportunity to jointly visit some of the bordering areas in Assam.
BSF DG Rakesh Asthana will lead the talks with his BGB counterpart Major General Shafeenul Islam.