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Integrated border function sought

BDR proposes intense coordination among govt agencies

Julfikar Ali Manik
The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is going to suggest that the government introduce integrated border management to enhance coordination among the agencies maintaining law and order on the border. >
An official engaged in preparing future plans for BDR told The Daily Star they have finalised a draft policy incorporating several suggestions to improve the overall border situation including checking crimes, especially smuggling, and killing of Bangladeshi nationals.
This proposed policy has been prepared as part of reforms in the wake of the bloody mutiny on February 25-26 and would be submitted to the government soon, said the official asking not to be identified.
After the Pilkhana carnage at the BDR headquarters that killed 57. mosdy top and mid-ranked army officers, the reform issue became a prime agenda. Reforms were sought to improve not only the situation inside the force but also the entire border management system.
The policy has been prepared based on experience of the army and BDR personnel who witnessed the mutiny and worked for the force for long.
"Though it is not expected, but reality is there is a serious lack ofcoordination among the government agencies working on the border. They basically help the criminal gangs, smuggling groups and their networks to achieve their own purpose." said a top officer.
"This lack of coordination remains not only at central level
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but also at the bordering level where officials of different agencies work together,’ he added.
The border guards would now propose to strengthen coordination among the agencies like BDR, Coast Guards, customs, immigration police, Department of Narcotics and the border police, the official added.
"The officials from those departments who work at the same points of the border consider themselves as competitors of each other. This attitude encourages smugglers and criminals and facilitates crimes."
Considering such realities, BDR would suggest that the home ministry introduce integrated border management headed by an additional secretary.
The office of this integrated border,qnanagemapt, would work round the clock twenty-four seven on the border. It will work promptly whenever any emergency'arises to contain it.
Another suggestion is allowing the border guards to form committees in different bordering areas with local personalities like Union Parishad chairmen, teachers and imams.
"We want to name such committees in Bangla ’Oboidho Simanto Karjokrom Protirodh Committee' [illegal border activities prevention committee)," informed the official involved in preparing the draft policy.
Explaining the idea, he said this is to involve the people in bordering areas in an organised and formal way to help border guards by creating aw-areness among the locals.
Such committees could be formed in the areas known as
crime zones, he observed.
The committee members might be given some honorarium and also logistics support, if necessary’, he said. The committees would hold monthly meetings, launch awareness raising activities among the people and work as vigilantes in helping BDR curb crimes.
Now there is a provision of giving reward money to the officials of different agencies if they capture smuggled goods like heroin, phensidyl, etc.
"So if the committees and locals can contribute to check such crimes, why wouldn't we give them the same reward?" argued an official. He said the move would inspire locals to take part in maintaining bordersecurity.
According to the present system, the officials who seize contraband items get a certain percentage of its market price.
n Seized drugs are brought to the capital for laboratory tests by the narcotic department, but there are many instances that because of flawed transportation, drugs turn into simple powder.
"So we would suggest having testing facilities by the narcotic department near the bordering areas to avoid such troubles and a system for making quick decisions without any doubt," the official said.
The force would also suggest prohibition on movement of the locals within the 150 yards of no man's land from evening to morning.
"Once such a prohibition is in effect, it would help both in curbing smuggling and saving lives of Bangladeshi nationals, who often get killed by the Indian border guards," the official added.