AGARTALA, April 17 (TIWN): The remaining 20 percent border fencing along the Indo-Bangla international border is likely to be completed before 2017, said Inspector General of BSF Tripura frontier B.N. Sharma.Taking to TIWN on Friday Inspector General of BSF Tripura frontier B.N. Sharma said that “We are trying our level best and we are hoping that the remaining 20 percent border fencing along the Indo-Bangla international border is likely to be completed before 2017. Around 80 percent of the Tripura borders has been fenced and floodlights put on to check crimes, infiltration and trans-border movement of militants. CCTV (close circuit television) cameras are being installed in BOPs (border outposts) and biometric devices are being used for better management. India has been erecting barbed wire fence and putting up floodlights along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram to check trans-border movement of militants, B.N. Sharma added.

According to latest reports the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will set up 81 new composite Border Outposts (BOPs) along the 856 km long Indo-Bangla border in Tripura by 2017 in addition to the existing 245 BOPs.

Border fencing was constructed 150 yards away from the demarcation line in adherence to Border management agreement signed between Bangladesh and India in 1974. 
The Ministry of External Affairs has taken up the matter with Bangladesh for allowing erection of fencing near the zero line in view of the difficult situation.

It is to be mentioned here that a total of 135 km of the bordering areas of Tripura remained unfenced yet till date, while of the total endorsed 856 km of Indo-Bangla border fencing in Tripura, a total of 715 km international border has been fenced in the State, according to official sources. Costal Construction Company Ltd and NPCC were assigned with the construction work.

However, but it is to be mentioned here that the construction work of the wire fencing at the unfenced areas of the state likely to be severely hit by this monsoon. Therefore the construction agencies have to virtually stop fencing works due to the hostile conditions.

It is also to be mentioned here that the banned militant outfits has set up camps in Chittagong Hill Tract and has been using the unfenced borders for their trans-border movements.  Still now in the bordering areas the militants are still trying to recruit people by fear, misguiding or by luring. The people are being used to collect money, goods and other necessary things for the militants.