Tripura: 59 Rohingyas, 150 Bangladeshi nationals held in 2022 by BSF for illegal crossing and trans-border crimes

The Border Security Force guarding the 586 km long India-Bangladesh border in Tripura, has apprehended 59 Rohingya, 160 Indian and 150 Bangladeshi nationals in the year 2022 for illegally crossing international boundaries and for other transborder crimes.

A press release from BSF said that over the years, BSF Tripura Frontier has performed multifarious responsibilities in fighting the insurgency maintaining the border's sanctity and preventing all kinds of trans-border crimes while working under adverse climatic conditions in remote and inhospitable terrain and highly malaria-infested zones in most parts of its operational areas. 

“During the year 2022, the BSF troops of Tripura Frontier have maintained extremely high levels of surveillance and alertness. Resultantly, BSF successfully rescued 1813 Cattle heads and seized contraband items like Phensedyl 66,608 Bottles, Ganja 18685 Kgs, Yaba tablets 1,14,658, Gold 86.252 Grams, Silver 100 grams, Brown Sugar 1513.38 Grams, Arms/Ammunition, Bangladeshi Currency 48,35,853 Taka and miscellaneous items worth Rs 58.34 crore”, the press release reads.
It further said that last year BSF has apprehended a total number of 59 Rohingya, 160 Indian and 150 Bangladeshi nationals in different operations. 

Also Read: Tripura police arrest one with rifle, live ammunition ahead of Union Minister Amit Shah's visit to state

They have also destroyed 25 thousand cannabis saplings that were being grown illegally on 644.71 acres in the state of Tripura were destroyed or uprooted during joint operations with sister agencies. 

The IGs BSF - Region Commanders Border Guards of Bangladesh level Coordination Conference was held twice this year, once in Agartala and once in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

“During the conference, various issues of bilateral interest which would pave the way for enhancing the understanding and increased cooperation between both the Border Guarding Forces were discussed at length. Special emphasis was given to focused issues particularly insurgent activities, various trans-border crimes including smuggling of contraband items like drugs / narcotic substances, Border violations, pending infrastructural/developmental works and coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP)”, the press release reads.

During the meeting issues related to confidence building amongst the troops of BSF and BGB as well as the local population on either side were also discussed also for greater synergy.

“Displaying a humanitarian approach BSF has handed over 11 Bangladeshi Nationals to Border Guarding Bangladesh, who had inadvertently crossed the international border”, it reads.