BSF director acknowledges West Bengal’s role in border fencing

Kolkata – In a statement issued on Thursday, Border Security Force Director General Praveen Kumar thanked West Bengal’s Chief Minister and the state administration for allocating land that will help seal gaps in the India‑Bangladesh border fence. The DG said the move will reinforce the Border Security Grid and accelerate the construction of missing fence sections.

The DG’s meeting with Chief Minister Souvik Chatterjee on October 14 covered the present security conditions along the 4,096.7 kilometre international boundary, focusing on the 2,216.7 kilometre segment that runs through West Bengal. According to Home Ministry data, about 569 kilometres of this stretch remain unfenced, including a 113‑kilometre riverine area where standard fencing is not feasible.

The border in West Bengal stretches from the Sundarbans in the south to the strategically important Siliguri Corridor in the north. The DG detailed the BSF’s two‑front structure – South Bengal Frontier and North Bengal Frontier – and the strategies being adopted to protect the unfenced sections.

Since the current government came to power, it has approved the transfer of roughly 1,024 acres of land across nine districts for fence installation and the establishment of Border Outposts (BOPs). The state explained that projects stalled under the previous regime due to delays.

The discussion also touched on joint efforts among security agencies to curb illegal crossings and other border crimes. A significant point of focus was the relocation of “zero‑line” villages that lie within 150 yards of the boundary. West Bengal hosts about 360 of these villages, with a combined population of approximately 70,000, creating operational challenges for the BSF. The state pledged complete cooperation in relocating the residents and assured that the welfare of BSF personnel and their families will be fully addressed.