Satkhira Correspondent 

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel are on alert along with the general public at the Kalaroa border in Satkhira to prevent illegal infiltration (push-in) into Bangladesh from India. There have also been reports of joint guarding by BGB and locals in some border areas.

Recently, news was published in the Indian media that many men and women have been gathered at several borders, including Hakimpur of Swarupnagar police station in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India, across the Kalaroa border to be sent illegally to Bangladesh. Since this news, the BGB has intensified patrolling, surveillance and presence along the Kalaroa border. Local residents are assisting the BGB in this activity in various ways.

According to local sources, this 17-kilometer-long border area in Kalaroa Upazila has been used as a safe route for drug and smuggling for years. Recently, there has been a fear of illegal infiltration. As a result, various intelligence agencies, including the BGB, are on the highest alert at the border.

Geographically, the three unions of the upazila are separated from the Indian border by land and river. Of these, the majority of Keragachi union and the entire border area of Sonabaria union are separated from India by the Sonai river. On the other hand, some parts of Chandanpur union are separated by the Ichamati river and the rest by land border. Since the possibility of illegal infiltration through land is higher than through the river border, BGB patrols and surveillance have been greatly strengthened at the Hijaldi, Sultanpur and Goalpara land borders of Chandanpur union.

BGB Sultanpur BOP Commander Nayek Subedar Kamruzzaman said that the BGB is currently on high alert in the four and a half kilometer border area under this BOP. Strict surveillance has been maintained round the clock to prevent any kind of illegal infiltration, including by the local people.

Sultanpur Union Parishad (UP) member Humayun Kabir said, "Warning messages are being broadcast on hand microphones in the border area. At night, the BGB and locals are jointly guarding by lighting torches. Everyone is in a strict position to prevent infiltration."

Sergeant Milon, media in-charge of Satkhira 33 BGB Battalion, said that the BGB is on high alert to prevent illegal infiltration at the Satkhira border.