Amid strained ties, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma met Bangladesh foreign secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin at the foreign ministry in Dhaka and conveyed to implement the existing understanding for border management.
India also called on Bangladesh to adopt a cooperative approach to combating crimes on the frontier amid the rising tensions along the boundary.
The state-run BSS news agency earlier reported that Verma was “summoned” by the foreign ministry to discuss the recent tensions along the border.
Tensions along the border increased after the Border Security Forces (BSF) acted to deter Bangladeshi smugglers. Dhaka alleged that India had violated the bilateral agreement by trying to build a fence at five locations along the border.
"Such activities particularly the unauthorised attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by BSF, have caused tensions and disturbances along the border," the foreign secretary said in a statement.
Uddin stressed that the construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries.
After the meeting, Verma told reporters, "We expect that understandings will be implemented and there will be a cooperative approach to combating crime.”
Verma said that he met the foreign secretary to discuss, "India’s commitment to ensuring a crime-free border and addressing the challenges of smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking."
He added, "We have an understanding with regard to fencing the border for security. The BSF and BGB [Border Guard Bangladesh] have been in communication in this regard.”
Meanwhile, referring to the recent killing of a Bangladesh citizen at Sunamganj by BSF, the foreign secretary expressed concern and disappointment.
He "strongly resented these acts of killing and called for urgent action by the Indian authorities to stop recurrence of such incidents and conduct enquiries into all these border killings and take actions against those responsible," the statement said.
"Advise all concerned authorities in India to refrain from any provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the shared border," it added.
Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, earlier in the day, said that India halted construction of barbed wire fencing along the border due to opposition from Bangladesh.
India has already fenced 3,271 kilometres of the 4,156-kilometer-long border with Bangladesh, leaving approximately 885 kilometres unfenced.
