Bangladesh and India have agreed to strengthen cooperation along their shared border, focusing on improved intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols, according to a joint statement released on Friday.
The agreement follows a four-day meeting between senior officials from Border Guard Bangladesh and India’s Border Security Force in New Delhi, described by both sides as “cordial, positive and forward-looking”.
The talks take place against a backdrop of growing tensions over alleged undocumented migration. Dhaka has accused Indian authorities of attempting to push migrants across the border without proper legal procedures, an issue that has strained diplomatic relations.
Bangladesh says it has sent multiple formal communications to New Delhi calling for an end to such practices, warning they risk undermining efforts to stabilise ties following political changes in 2024.
Earlier this week, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said any forced returns without due process were “absolutely unacceptable”.
The two countries share a border stretching more than 4,000 kilometres, one of the longest in the world. Recent months have seen increasing friction, with Bangladesh reporting several attempts to force crossings and responding by stepping up patrols, intelligence operations and drone surveillance.
India, for its part, has prioritised efforts to identify and deport people it considers to be living in the country without valid documentation, particularly in border states such as Assam, West Bengal and Tripura.
Officials in New Delhi said they had asked Bangladesh in May to verify the nationality of more than 2,800 suspected Bangladeshi nationals.
In addition to migration, the discussions covered a range of cross-border issues, including human trafficking, smuggling, border-related deaths and infrastructure development.
Both sides also reviewed progress under the Coordinated Border Management Plan, which aims to improve security cooperation and reduce illegal activities along the frontier.
In the joint statement, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining “peace, tranquillity and stability” along the border.
They agreed to enhance real-time information sharing, increase vigilance and step up joint action against cross-border criminal networks.
The next round of high-level border talks is scheduled to take place in Dhaka in November.
Cooperation between Bangladesh and India remains crucial not only for border security but also for regional stability in South Asia, where migration, security and political dynamics are closely interconnected.
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