Bangladesh Media Critiques Yunus Government Over Secretive Border Guard Visit to India
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Synopsis
The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, is under fire for not disclosing the upcoming visit of Border Guard Bangladesh Director General to India. This comes amid ongoing scrutiny regarding the treatment of minorities.
Key Takeaways
- Bangladesh's interim government faces criticism for secrecy.
- Border guard chief's visit to India remains undisclosed.
- Tensions rise along the international border.
- Media outlets report on the controversy.
- BSF's Ops Alert initiated ahead of Republic Day.
Dhaka, Jan 25 (NationPress) The interim government in Bangladesh, under the leadership of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, is currently facing international criticism for its treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus. Now, it is garnering negative attention for concealing the visit of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Major General Mohammad Ashraful Islam Siddique to India next month.
The media in the country has criticized the government for failing to disclose information regarding Siddique's trip to New Delhi for a border conference involving the Director Generals of BGB and the Border Security Force (BSF), set to occur in mid-February.
In response to reports from local media about the upcoming border conference, the BGB has asserted that there is “no secrecy” surrounding the visit and that no attempts are being made to keep it hidden.
“The news published in some media outlets in the country under the title ‘BGB chief's India visit shrouded in secrecy, a storm of criticism on social media’ has come to the attention of the BGB. This news is damaging the reputation of the BGB and causing confusion among the public,”
the Border Guard Bangladesh emphasized in a statement on their social media platform.
“At a time when the BGB is currently playing a role in solidarity with the people at the border, it is likely that such negative posts will create confusion in the minds of everyone,”
they added.
The BGB also highlighted that representatives from other relevant ministries and agencies in Bangladesh will participate in the meeting alongside them.
The meeting scheduled for February 17-21 will take place amid rising tensions along the international border, particularly following recent clashes in Sukhdevpur, located in West Bengal's Malda district.
Residents on the Indian side have frequently reported incidents of attacks by armed criminals crossing the border and have expressed concerns about their crops being raided or damaged by individuals from Bangladesh.
The Eastern Command of the BSF has initiated ‘Ops Alert’ along the 4,096 km Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in anticipation of Republic Day.
Intensified patrolling and border surveillance are being conducted both day and night.
According to a statement from the Headquarters, Special Director General, BSF, in Kolkata, the ‘Ops Alert’ has been launched to avert any incidents ahead of the country’s 76th Republic Day, considering the changing situation in Bangladesh.
On January 13, the Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, Nural Islam, was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the South Block, where it was communicated that India has adhered to all protocols and agreements between the two nations and between the BSF and BGB regarding border security measures, including fencing.
India expressed its expectation that all previous agreements will be honored by Bangladesh and that a cooperative strategy will be adopted to combat cross-border crimes.
“India reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges posed by cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals, and trafficking. Measures such as barbed wire fencing, border lighting, and the installation of technical devices and cattle fences are being implemented to secure the border,”
the MEA had stated.
