AGARTALA, June 20 (TIWN): Despite good relations between BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), 45 camps of different militant outfits of India’s North-East exists in Bangla soil, a top BSF official said today.“Our relation with BGB is fabulous and they are highly cooperating. Even today morning I spoke to DG of BGB, Maj. General, Aziz Ahmed over phone. Despite this 45 militant camps of North-East exist in Bangla soil”, Special DG of BSF, B D Sharma told reporters.

He said, the insurgents could not be fully wiped out from Bangladesh soil because deployment of BGB was less compared to requirement. “They are now raising new forces and we hope that the situation would improve soon”, he added.

Sharma said, out of 45 militant camps, militants from Tripura have 21 camps, mostly belonged to two banned outfits – All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

 Special DG said, “Any border cannot be properly protected only by guns. Massive development projects are required for socio-economic development of people living in both side of the border. Considering these aspects, BSF proposed to the Ministry of Home Affairs for setting up 60 border haats (markets) in the eastern border, so that people from both sides could sell their local products in those markets”.

Of the 60 border haats, 22 were proposed in Meghalaya, 32 in West Bengal, four in Tripura and two in Assam.

Sharma said, out of about 4000 km border with Bangladesh, barbed wire fencing would be erected in 3314 km, of which 2418 km long areas have already been fenced and works are in progress in 342 km.

“So, about 70% of the border is now fenced”, he said.

Sharma said that 3061 km of the Indo-Bangla border would be illuminated by flood lighting to check smuggling and border crimes, of which 1732 km have already been illuminated. It is 57% of the total works, he added.