Tension erupted on the India-Bangladesh border near a BSF border outpost on Saturday morning after an altercation between farmers from both countries escalated into a brief clash, the paramilitary force said.
However, prompt intervention by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) ensured that the situation was swiftly brought under control, a BSF statement said.
The incident took place at the same Sukdevpur border outpost area, where fencing work was briefly paused on January 6 after the BGB claimed it was being conducted on Bangladeshi territory.
However, the issue was then resolved through discussions, and construction resumed without further disruptions the next day.
According to a BSF statement on Saturday, the brief clash occurred around 11.45 am near Sukdevpur Border outpost area, when Indian farmers working near the international border accused Bangladeshi farmers of stealing crops.
The verbal argument quickly spiraled, with farmers from both sides gathering in large numbers, hurling abuses, and pelting stones at each other.
In a statement, the paramilitary force said, "The situation was immediately brought under control following timely intervention by BSF and BGB personnel. Farmers from both sides were dispersed and sent back to their respective territories. There have been no reports of injuries in the incident."
The BSF further emphasised the importance of avoiding such disputes and advised Indian farmers to report any farming-related issues along the border directly to BSF personnel.
'We have requested Indian farmers to maintain calm and refrain from getting involved in border disputes. Necessary measures will be taken in case of any grievances,' the statement added.
The BGB also played a crucial role in managing the situation on their side of the border.
By late afternoon, some Bangladeshi nationals were seen within 50-75 metres of the international boundary, but they were reportedly dissuaded by BGB personnel, preventing further escalation.
'The Indian farmers have been completely pushed back, but the presence of some Bangladeshi nationals was observed within 50-75 meters of the international border till late afternoon,' the statement said.
The BSF and BGB unit commandants in the region are working to enhance coordination to avoid similar incidents in the future. The situation on the border is now completely normal and under control, the statement added.
The incident came in the backdrop of recent objections by the BGB over BSF's attempts to erect fences in certain areas along the India-Bangladesh border, following which a sector commander-level border coordination meeting was held on Wednesday at Benapole in Bangladesh to address key bilateral concerns and bolster cooperation between the two neighboring nations.
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