A commander-level flag meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) took place at Teen Bigha on Saturday to address a dispute over border fencing in the Mekhliganj block of Cooch Behar district. The meeting was convened after tensions escalated on Friday when the BSF began demarcating land along an unfenced stretch of the India-Bangladesh border.
Background of the Dispute
Teen Bigha is a narrow corridor in Cooch Behar near Bangladesh's Patgram Upazila. India leased this corridor to Bangladesh to provide round-the-clock, visa-free access for Bangladeshi citizens to the Dahagram–Angarpota enclave without formally entering Indian territory. The recent fencing plan by the BSF aims to secure an unfenced stretch, but it has led to objections from the BGB.
According to officials and local accounts, the BGB stopped the demarcation work on Friday, insisting that prior intimation was required and alleging that the activity violated rules governing construction near the international boundary. The interruption led to a heated exchange between BSF personnel and their Bangladeshi counterparts, and the work was halted.
BGB's Objections
The BGB claimed that measuring rods and bamboo poles were being placed within 10 to 20 yards of the zero line, prompting them to intervene. Locals, however, alleged that the BGB was trying to prevent fencing altogether. The BSF's fencing plan in the area would require about 105 acres from Jamaldaha to the Teen Bigha corridor, with around 30 acres already demarcated. It was also learned that the government plans to procure about 80 acres from villagers across the Mekhliganj subdivision for a 25-kilometer-long fence.
Political Reactions
Mekhliganj MLA Dadhiram Roy alleged that Bangladesh was deliberately disrupting the work and ignoring the Teen Bigha arrangement. He warned that continued interference could affect Bangladesh's access to the enclave. The Angarpota–Dahagram enclave, connected through the corridor, is considered a smuggling-prone zone. The enclave is surrounded by India on three sides, with the Teesta River flowing along its western edge. Locals claim that cattle-lifters and infiltrators use the river route to reach the Indian mainland. "People from Bangladesh enter Angarpota-Dahagram through the corridor and sneak into India by crossing Teesta. The fencing will help check that. But BGB is creating trouble," said a villager.
Meeting Details
Bangladeshi media reported that BSF's 174 Battalion Commander Vinod Kumar represented India at the meeting, while Lieutenant Colonel Naziur Rahman of the 51 BGB Rangpur Battalion led the Bangladesh side. The reports said the BGB objected to any fencing activity within 50 yards of the zero line, citing rules that bar permanent structures or barbed-wire fencing within 150 yards of the boundary. The BSF, according to the reports, said the activity was part of land measurement linked to land acquisition on the Indian side.
Officials said the meeting ended cordially and the situation along the border is currently normal. The dispute highlights the ongoing challenges in securing the India-Bangladesh border while maintaining diplomatic relations.
