DHAKA: Bangladesh on Monday declared that it would not be intimidated by “barbed wire” amid rising tensions over renewed border fencing initiatives by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the West Bengal border. The statement came after the newly elected BJP government in West Bengal approved land transfers for expanded fencing projects during its first cabinet meeting.
Humaiun Kobir, foreign affairs adviser to Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman, appeared to take aim at Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari, saying election rhetoric and governance were “two different things” and that Dhaka was closely watching whether campaign promises would shape actual policy.
“People of Bangladesh are not afraid of barbed wire,” Kobir told reporters. “The government of Bangladesh is also not afraid. Wherever discussion is needed, we will engage.”
His remarks followed recent comments by Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman, who warned that Dhaka would respond if incidents of “push-backs” — the forcible expulsion of people across the border — increased following the political transition in West Bengal.
Kobir also urged India to adopt a “more humane approach” to border management if it wanted to strengthen people-to-people relations. At the same time, he stressed that Bangladesh’s primary diplomatic engagement remained with India’s central government rather than state administrations.
Referring to allegations of border killings and forced expulsions, Kobir warned that Bangladesh would not stay silent if such incidents persisted. “Bangladesh has its own plans and responses. I hope matters will not proceed in that direction,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh home minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had been placed on high alert after the West Bengal assembly elections, adding that the force was fully prepared to prevent infiltration along the frontier.
