Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata

Kolkata, May 21: The West Bengal government has started handing over land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for barbed-wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border, marking a significant step towards strengthening border security in the state.

The process was formally initiated on Wednesday at the state secretariat Nabanna in the presence of senior BSF officials.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the move was aimed at ensuring both national and state security. He alleged that the previous government had failed to cooperate adequately on border security matters.

Highlighting the importance of border fencing, the Chief Minister referred to concerns such as infiltration, smuggling, circulation of counterfeit currency, forced religious conversions and crimes allegedly linked to illegal Bangladeshi entrants.

West Bengal shares nearly 2,200 kilometres of the 4,000-kilometre India-Bangladesh border. Of this, around 1,600 kilometres have already been fenced, while approximately 600 kilometres remain uncovered.

Officials said the latest land handover would facilitate fencing work across 18 kilometres of the border, while another 9 kilometres would be used for BSF outposts and related infrastructure.

The Chief Minister assured that additional land required for the project would also be transferred in phases. He added that the entire cost of the exercise would be borne by the Central government and the BSF.

BSF Director General Praveen Kumar welcomed the state government’s cooperation and said the force was now receiving long-awaited support for border management operations under the present administration.