Bangla talks over, Home wants fence at Zero Line

The Union Home Ministry has sough permission from the Union Cabinet to acquire 300 km of land on Indo-Bangla border, resettle 1.5 lakh peopl...

The Union Home Ministry has sough permission from the Union Cabinet to acquire 300 km of land on Indo-Bangla border, resettle 1.5 lakh people and erect a fence at 150 yards from the Zero Line.

India failed to convince Bangladesh during the two-day secretary level meet the need to fence 212 patches where Indian villages stretch till Zero Line.

Bangladesh, citing a 1975 informal understanding between the Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles, has objected to India’s erecting a fence on the Zero Line. The Home Ministry in January had decided to ignore this but developed cold feet later when Bangladesh Rifles resorted to indiscriminate firing and one BSF deputy commandant Jeevan Kumar was dragged across the border and killed.

The Ministry, in the note to Union Cabinet, has argued that since Bangladesh is unlikely to accept India’s stand in future as well, it is better to acquire disputed land, rehabilitate the villagers and then erect the fence.