The BSF has requested the Bengal government to persuade farmers to stop cultivating tall crops such as jute, mustard and bananas in areas beyond the fencing along the Bangladesh border as they obstruct the visibility of patrolling personnel.

“The problem is that some farmlands exist beyond the border fencing. The Centre has erected fences 150 meters away from the zero line. Despite acquiring land for constructing border roads and erecting fences, the BSF allows farmers to cultivate plots that are no man’s land. Farmers are allowed access to this land by entering through the designated gates at specifically scheduled times and after submitting their identity cards to the security guards. Cultivating tall trees on these plots poses a security threat,” said a BSF officer.

For strategic reasons, the BSF prohibits growing plants taller than 2 feet as these can provide cover for anti-social elements. Despite this, many farmers along the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal continue to grow such crops. Consequently, BSF authorities have instructed battalion commanders to work with the local administration to enforce these guidelines, especially in light of the changing political scenario in Bangladesh.

As the fear of infiltration from Bangladesh due to the ongoing unrest and volatile political conditions coupled with attacks on political workers and jailbreaks in the neighbouring country grows, the BSF is working to put in place security measures. The BSF has shared their concern with the local police administration in districts that share borders with Bangladesh.

Indo-Bangla border in south Bengal spans 913.3 km, with an additional 364 km of riverine stretch. In north Bengal, the border length is about 936.7 km. Unfenced areas of the border in south Bengal and north Bengal measure approximately 538 km and 375 km, respectively.

The issue of tall crops was discussed during a meeting between various stakeholders and the newly appointed director general of BSF, Daljit Singh Chaudhary, during his visit to Calcutta on Monday.

Following this meeting, BSF authorities from different battalions began coordinating with local administrations to discourage farmers from growing tall crops for national security reasons.

On Monday afternoon, a coordination meeting took place between the Nadia district administration and BSF’s two battalions at the Baronberia border outpost under the Ranaghat subdivision.

SDO Ranaghat Raunak Agarwal, who attended the meeting, said: “BSF officials expressed concern about tall crops, particularly jute, which is currently being harvested. We assured BSF officials that farmers would be encouraged to plant alternative crops win keeping with the demand for national security.”

A senior BSF officer in Calcutta said, “Our objection to tall plants like mustard, jute, and banana is not new. These crops obstruct visibility and pose a significant security threat. Smugglers and criminals exploit the cover provided by such plants to ambush our personnel.”

Additionally, the BSF has urged local administrations to ensure that shops and markets near the border close by 9 pm and to use mosque announcements to alert residents to stay away from border areas at night.

Meanwhile, an Indian Coast Guard hovercraft has been deployed at Fraserganj to patrol the riverine stretch of south Bengal, particularly the Sunderbans delta.

Earlier on the day BSF DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary visited the Petrapole land port and the highly sensitive Ranghat border outpost in North 24-Parganas to review tactical and operational preparedness on the second day of his visit.

He was accompanied by Ravi Gandhi, ADG of the Eastern Command, Maninder P. S. Pawar, IG of BSF’s South Bengal Frontier, and other senior officials. They also held discussions with officials of the Land Port Authority of India.

A BSF spokesperson said, “The primary objective of the DG’s visit was to assess the tactical and operational preparedness and deployment strategies of the BSF at key locations in the light of developments in Bangladesh. He also discussed strategies to address illegal infiltration and smuggling.”

“Preparedness is always crucial, especially given the current challenging conditions in Bangladesh. I urged all officers and personnel to remain vigilant and prepared for any emerging situations,” the BSF DG reportedly said while addressing BSF personnel.