India Bangladesh Border Fencing
India and Bangladesh share a 4,096 km long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. The border stretches across the states of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and the seven North Eastern states. The border has been a source of contention between the two countries for many years, and the Indian government has been attempting to fence it for several decades. However, India has missed several deadlines for the completion of the border fencing, leaving the border vulnerable to illegal activities and infiltration.
Border Security Issues
The India Bangladesh border has long been a source of security issues for both countries. The porous border has allowed for the smuggling of goods and people, as well as human trafficking, and has been a major source of contention between the two countries. In addition to this, illegal immigration from Bangladesh has been a major issue in India, as the lack of fencing has made it difficult to monitor and control the influx of immigrants.
Fencing the Border
In response to these issues, the Indian government has been attempting to fence the border since the early 1980s. However, the project has been plagued with delays due to a number of factors, including lack of funds, lack of resources and other logistical issues. In addition to this, the terrain of the border is also difficult to fence, and has posed an additional challenge to the project.
Deadline Misses
Due to these various issues, India has missed several deadlines for the completion of the India Bangladesh border fencing. The government had initially planned to finish the project by 2003, but due to the various delays, the project was not completed until 2017. This delay has caused serious security issues for both India and Bangladesh, as the lack of fencing has made it difficult to monitor and control the influx of immigrants.
Political Issues
In addition to the various logistical and financial issues, the border fencing project has been mired in political issues as well. The two countries have disagreed on the demarcation of the border, which has caused further delays in the project. In addition to this, the two countries have also been at odds over the use of fencing materials, with India wanting to use barbed wire and Bangladesh wanting to use concrete.
Impact on Security
The lack of a fully fenced border has had a serious impact on the security of both India and Bangladesh. The border remains vulnerable to illegal activities and infiltration, which has led to an increase in crime and terrorism in the region. In addition to this, illegal immigration from Bangladesh has been a major problem in India, as the lack of fencing has made it difficult to monitor and control the influx of immigrants.
New Initiatives
In order to address these issues, the Indian government has recently announced a number of new initiatives to improve security along the India Bangladesh border. These include the deployment of additional security forces, the installation of surveillance systems, and the strengthening of border patrols. In addition to this, the government has also announced plans to deploy high-tech fencing materials, such as electronic sensors and infrared cameras, along the entire length of the border.
Conclusion
The India Bangladesh border fencing project has been plagued by delays and political issues for many years. The lack of fencing has left the border vulnerable to illegal activities and infiltration, and has caused serious security issues for both India and Bangladesh. In order to address these issues, the Indian government has recently announced a number of new initiatives to improve security along the border. However, it remains to be seen whether these initiatives will be enough to finally complete the project and secure the border.
