The border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh have agreed to initiate five development projects along the 4,096-kilometre shared boundary aimed at improving the lives of the local population and reducing tensions along the border.

The agreement to initiate the development projects was reached at the end of the 53rd Director General level border coordination conference in Delhi from 11-14 July between the Border Security Force (BSF) of India and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

"During this conference, in a momentous decision, that will have a profound positive impact on the lives of the population along the India-Bangladesh border, a total of five developmental projects were agreed upon, enhancing the joint efforts towards progress and prosperity in the region."

"This decision is a significant step towards improving the overall quality of life and will serve to foster stronger bilateral trade and relations between the two countries," the BSF said in a statement.

The five projects include the construction of a bailey bridge, road repair, and the strengthening of retaining walls. The projects will be implemented in five states along the border: Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura.

At the end of their four-day biannual border talks conference, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) also said they are working independently and jointly to "reduce" the instances of killing of Bangladeshi nationals in the boundary area.

Acting BSF DG Sujoy Lal Thaosen said his troops had to fire on miscreants "only as a last resort".

"We have discussed various measures to reduce these killing incidents and sometimes it was seen that there was misunderstanding or miscommunication between lower-level or ground-level troops and we (BGB and BSF) are working together on this issue," said BGB DG Maj Gen AKM Nazmul Hasan.

They also talked about keeping an eye on trespassing, stepping up public awareness campaigns, and going all out to prosecute criminals.

The two sides also agreed to pursue and share real-time information and interrogation reports of traffickers and assured to remain extra vigilant to curb trans-border crimes like smuggling of drugs, contraband items, gold, and fake Indian currency notes in order to make the India-Bangladesh border crime-free, the statement said.

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