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India, Bangladesh resolve dispute

By M Chhaya in Kolkata
August 21, 2005 14:07 IST
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Border Security Force officials said on Sunday that the dispute with Bangladesh over a construction along their frontier that led to heavy firing between the two sides since Friday, had been resolved.

"The dispute has been resolved. There is no problem anymore," O P Gaur, deputy inspector general of Border Security Force (BSF) said after the flag meeting with Bangladesh concluded. Sector commander Reza Sarvar led Bangladesh.

Gaur said it had been agreed at the flag meeting that India would continue with its river bank strengthening work, but Bangladesh would desist from undertaking any further construction at the disputed site.

BSF to continue embankment work

Fighting began early Friday after both sides tried to stop each other from carrying out work on building river embankments along the Mahananda river that flows from India into Bangladesh.

Firing stopped on Saturday afternoon after the two sides decided to organise a flag meeting to resolve their differences.

The Mahananda river has been eroding its banks on both sides of the border, threatening Indian and Bangladeshi guard outposts and the wire fence India is building to stop illegal migration and militants.

Firing intensifies on India-Bangladesh border

While Indian officials said they were fortifying the river banks with sand bags, not considered a construction of permanent nature, well away from 150 yards of the zero line, they alleged that Bangladesh was building concrete structures on their side within the no man's land. Bangladesh denied this.

On Friday morning, hundreds of construction workers and Bangladeshi soldiers began building the concrete embankment, prompting Indian guards to open fire to scare them away. Bangladeshi guards then retaliated.

There was no official report of any injury on either side, but Indian sources said three children had been hurt in the firing.

India, Bangladesh trade fire on border

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M Chhaya in Kolkata