Border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh have decided to enhance cooperation to check transboundary crimes and better management of the international boundary, according to a BSF statement.  

The decision was taken in a conference of IGs of the Border Security Force and Region Commanders of the Border Guard Bangladesh, it said. "Both the border guarding forces decided further to enhance sharing of information and cooperation in all fields to ensure an effective border management system to fight the menace of transborder crimes, smuggling of drugs etc," the BSF said in the statement.

 The four-day border coordination programme of the BSF and the BGB concluded here on Friday. "While appreciating efforts made by each other that resulted in a decline in transborder crimes, both sides agreed to pursue the construction of developmental projects in the respective border areas. They also agreed that the confidence-building measures had improved the understanding between the two forces," the statement said.

 The 16th Border Coordination Conference of IG BSF and BGB Region Commanders was held days after two Bangladeshis were killed along the Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district during an operation by the BSF to thwart an alleged cattle smuggling bid.

 A ten-member Border Security Force delegation led by its South Bengal frontier inspector general Anurag Garg held talks with a team of BGB personnel. Both sides discussed various issues related to border management and adoption of more non-lethal methods, a senior BSF official said.

"During the conference, several issues of mutual interest were discussed for effective border management, including joint efforts against transborder crimes, measures to check illegal cross border movement and better management of the international boundary," he added.