Kolkata/Petrapole, Jan 7 (PTI) BSF officials on Tuesday said the construction of a barbed wire fence along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda district is progressing peacefully after a brief halt, following objections raised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).
The fencing work in the Sukdevpur area of Malda's Kaliachak No. 3 block was temporarily paused on Monday, after the BGB claimed it was being conducted on Bangladeshi territory. However, the issue was resolved through discussions, and the work has since resumed without further disruptions on Tuesday.
"The fencing work is now going on. There are no issues right now," Ravi Gandhi, Additional Director General (ADG) of the BSF's Eastern Command, told PTI.
"It was due to some misunderstanding at the ground level among the BGB troopers and commanders. The matter has been sorted now," he said.
BSF South Bengal DIG and Spokesperson Nilotpal Kumar Pandey echoed the ADG's remarks, saying the situation has normalised.
He said a reply has been given to the BGB by the BSF authorities.
"Everything is going on in a peaceful manner," Pandey told reporters in Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district.
He also dismissed reports in the Bangladeshi media, alleging that the BGB had taken control of a 5-km border region along the Kodala River in Jhenaidah's Moheshpur Upazila, opposite Ranghat in Bagda block West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.
"These reports are totally baseless," Pandey asserted.
Officials noted that the misunderstanding arose during the installation of the fence, which is being undertaken by the central government’s Road Works Department in collaboration with the BSF. The BGB initially raised concerns about the location of the fence, halting the work.
The matter was resolved during a meeting between BSF and BGB officials on Tuesday morning, with the Indian side clarifying that the fencing was being constructed within their territory.
Meanwhile, the issue sparked political reactions in West Bengal.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari posted a video on social media, claiming that local villagers chanted slogans like "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," "Vande Mataram" and "Jai Shri Ram", leading the BGB to retreat.
Adhikari claimed that local villagers and BSF personnel had successfully driven the BGB troopers away after they attempted to intervene during the border fencing process.
"How's the Josh?" “High Sir”. Tempers flared when Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel tried to intervene during the Border Fencing process at Bakhrabad Village Post; Sukdevpur on the India-Bangladesh Border in Baishnabnagar Gram Panchayat area in the Kaliachak III Block; Malda District,” he posted on X.
“The Local Indian Citizens of the area along with the @BSF_India Personnel scared them off and made them realise that no nuisance will be tolerated, when it comes to National Security. Chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Mataram and Jai Shree Ram were reverberating when the BGB personnel were forced to flee. This is the effect of the Public Awakening in West Bengal and Nationalism is flowing in the veins. Jai Hind,” he added.
BSF officials reiterated that the situation at the border is peaceful, with the fencing work proceeding as planned.
"There is no change in the status quo there. The status quo is as it was earlier, and there is complete peace," DIG Pandey said.
The fencing project is a part of India's ongoing efforts to secure its boundaries and curb cross-border smuggling and infiltration.