Bangladesh army seen near Indian border, says BSF

Bangladesh army troopers were on Thursday spotted at a few places along the Indo-Bangla border, a top Border Security Force official said.

Bangladesh Army personnel have been seen in areas like Netrakona, Mymensingh and some other places bordering Meghalaya and Assam, the official, who has been taking stock of the situation along the border, told PTI.

The BSF has observed that BDR personnel have apparently pulled out of their regular patrol and surveillance activity following the rebellion in the forces' headquarters in Dhaka, which is feared to have left more than 50 officers dead and was spreading to other areas.

"BDR personnel have not been spotted along the borders. Our personnel have not observed the routine patrolling parties of BDR nor the personnel since noon on Wednesday," the official said. The official indicated that BDR personnel might have been confined to their camps.

Fearing repercussion along the international border, BSF has asked its troops not to get provoked by any situation arising out of the clash, even as maximum alert was sounded along the Indo-Bangla border in North East.

"We have asked our men to keep cool and not get provoked in the event of any situation arising out of the rebellion along the border areas," BSF Inspector General (Assam and Meghalaya Frontier) Prithvi Raj had said on Wednesday.

The BSF has sounded a maximum alert in the border areas, enhancing vigil and patrolling, amid apprehensions that the BDR men may try to sneak into India to escape prosecution back home. The commanders of BSF battalions have already moved to the borders and are communicating with the frontier headquarters regularly on the situation.

BSF Director General M L Kumawat is taking stock of the situation from New Delhi through video conferencing with all IGs of the Eastern sector. BSF has ruled out deployment of additional forces as of now.

Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Thursday that India's borders with Bangladesh are secure and there are no threats to the 4,095-km boundary in the wake of the rebellion in the neighbouring country.

"Our borders are secure. Our BSF is on the alert. I don't think the BDR-army dispute in Bangladesh will spill over to our border," he said when asked about the situation in Bangladesh.