India-Bangladesh Border Fencing: TMC Demands War-Footing Completion

New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Rajya Sabha Trinamool Congress member Sukhendu Sekhar Ray on Thursday asked the Centre to complete fencing along the India-Bangladesh border on a war-footing.

Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the TMC member said the total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4,096.7 km, of which 865 km is yet to be fenced.

West Bengal, among all other states in India, has the longest land border with Bangladesh -- 2,217 kilometre -- he said.

One of the major challenges reportedly being faced in completing the feasible stretches of fencing projects relate to unwarranted objections and problems created by the Border Guard of Bangladesh, he said.

Ray spoke about one such recent problem created by the Border Guard of Bangladesh at Sukhdevpur in Malda district of West Bengal which was foiled by local people with the help of police and Border Security Force.

He pointed out that there have been instances of people from across the border infiltrating into villages of Cooch Behar district, looting valuables and foodgrains.

There is an alarming situation in that border area of Cooch Behar, he said.

"With the emerging situation in Bangladesh, the government is required to be more vigilant and adequate measures should be initiated on a war footing to complete the fencing of feasible stretches of the Indo-Bangla border," the TMC MP said.

He further said the coastal guard and other authorities should also be more alert in the Sundarbans delta.

In the interest of India's national security, enhanced surveillance is needed along the maritime border of Bengal to ensure no illegal activities go unnoticed, Ray added.