DHAKA: A top-level border conference between Bangladesh Rifles and the Indian Border Security Force began at the BDR headquarters in the capital Thursday for resolving a wide range of issues to maintain a secure and peaceful common frontier that stretches over 4,500 kilometres.  

BSF Director-General Raman Srivastava is leading a 20-member delegation while BDR DG Major-General Md Rafiqul Islam heading a 22-member host team at the five-day conference that started at 9am, on a note of optimism.

“The meeting is on and good news could be given soon,” the BDR chief, Rafiqul Islam, told reporters during a break in the morning hours.

According to a source in the Home Ministry, Bangladesh was expected to place at least seven agenda on the table, including some tricky ones like killings on the border and land grabbing by trespassing frontiersmen.

The host side would seek halt to the killing of Bangladeshis on the border in pointblank shooting by BSF troops, push-in and pushback, smuggling, land grabbing by Khasias in the border areas, and making establishments within 150 yards of no man’s land, joint patrol on the frontier and combined border management.      

After the BDR carnage in Pilkhana headquarters of the BDR, this is the fourth meeting between the border security forces of the two neighbouring countries.

The source said the Indian team would visit the border areas in Chittagong and Rangamati.

The BSF chief will also meet the minister and the secretary of the ministry of home affairs.

The meeting will conclude till September 27 through the signing of a joint accord.

BDST: 1213 HRS, SEP 23, 2010.