DHAKA: India’s Border Security Forces (BSF) has proposed to their home affairs ministry for setting up 60 border haats (markets) on India-Bangladesh border.

‘People from both sides could sell their local products in those markets,’ top BSF official hoped.

Of the 60 border haats, 22 were proposed in Meghalaya, 32 in West Bengal, four in Tripura and two in Assam.

Special DG of BSF, BD Sharma told reporters in Agartala in Tripura on Saturday after having a telephonic discussion with DG of BGB Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, the Economic Times reports.

In his speech, the BSF boss claimed that despite good relation between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 45 camps of different militant outfits of India's North-East exists in Bangladesh.

‘Our relation with BGB is fabulous and they are highly cooperative, despite these 45 militant camps of North-East militants in Bangla soil,’ Sharma remarked.

Sharma agreed, ‘Any border cannot be properly protected only by guns. Massive development projects are required for socio-economic development of people living in both side of the border’.

He said, the insurgents could not be fully wiped out from Bangladesh soil because deployment of BGB was less compared to requirement.

According to the BSF top official, out of 45 militant camps, militants from Tripura have 21 camps, mostly belonged to two banned outfits - All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

Sharma said, out of about 4000-km border with Bangladesh, barbed wire fencing would be erected in 3314 km, of which 2418 km long areas have already been fenced and works are in progress in 342 km.

‘So, about 70 percent of the border is now fenced,’ he said.

The BSF head informed media that 3061 km of Indo-Bangla border would be illuminated by flood lighting to check smuggling and border crimes, of which 1732 km have already been illuminated which is 57 percent of the total works.

BDST: 1720 HRS, JUN 21, 2014