Border Security Force on Saturday asserted that embankment work will go on in Mahananda river near the border in Malda district of West Bengal despite Bangladesh's objections and intermittent firing by Bangladesh Rifles, which continued for the second day.
"The BSF has taken a stand that it will push ahead with the embankment work despite firing by BDR," a senior officer of the force told PTI here amid continued exchange of fire between the border guards. He said if the civilians, currenty employed for the task feel too scared to work because of the firing, BSF men will take over.
"Our personnel are used to working in such conditions," the officer said, referring to construction of the fence along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir amid continued shelling from Pakistan.
He said embankment is urgently needed in the area because the recent rains have caused large-scale soil erosion threatening the adjoining villages.
Rubbishing Bangladesh's objection that the embankment work is in violation of the 1971 Border Agreement, the BSF officer said the task is being carried out about 250 metres away from the border, well beyond the 150 metres as stipulated in the accord.
"Besides, the embankment is a temporary measure," he said. BDR has been firing towards India since yesterday in an attempt to prevent the work.