Govt approves BGB to procure teargas, sound grenades to maintain border security

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Govt approves BGB to procure teargas, sound grenades to maintain border security

Shawdesh Desk:

The interim government has approved the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to procure non-lethal weapons like sound grenades, teargas shells, for use along the border to maintain security.

Adviser to the home affairs ministry Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury shared the information on Monday after a law and order advisory committee meeting of the ministry held at the secretariat in Dhaka.

The adviser said the BGB has always been equipped with lethal weapons and it hasn’t the things like – sound grenade, teargas shells.

On 18 January, there were tensions along the Chapainawabganj border, where India’s Border Security Forces (BSF) reportedly used teargas and sound grenades. But BGB wasn’t equipped with these at that moment as the battalion has been equipped with only lethal weapons.

The approval has been given to purchase these weapons, which will be procured through proper tendering processes, he said.

Addressing concerns about India’s response to Bangladesh’s decision on these weapons, the adviser said there is no scope for India to take it negatively as they already have such weapons.

Besides, about the steps to address unequal border agreements with India, Jahangir Alam acknowledged the slow progress in foreign-related matters.

The adviser also informed that a conference between the DGs of BSF and BGB is scheduled to be held next month.

These issues will be discussed there. Additionally, a committee led by home ministry secretary, has been formed to scrutinise and identify problem areas, he said.He said they will send a write-up to the foreign ministry, informing India of the need to revisit these agreements.

Earlier, on January 12, Jahangir Alam talked about several unequal agreements signed during the Awami League government tenure, which have led to disputes along the Bangladesh-India border.