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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the border areas along the India-Bangaladesh international border on September 2 and took stock of the situation. Talking to media persons, Sonowal said that the infrastructure in place to guard the international border with Bangladesh is not satisfactory and there is an urgent need for improving the scenario to check the infiltration of foreigners into the state.

The chief minister extensively travelled along the border in the Mankachar area. Sonowal said that around 60 km of riverine international border and the char areas located along the border are completely open and it is easy for the infiltrators and smugglers to come to India. He said that the condition of the fencing along the border is also very poor.

Sonowal said that modern technology must be used to improve guarding of the international border along with strengthening the border guarding infrastructure. He said that he has already requested the Union home minister to use the Army to create the necessary infrastructure to improve border guarding so that the quality of the fence is brought at par with the fencing along the India-Pakistan border.

Sonowal visited the border along with a delegation of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and legislators from his own party, Congress, AGP and AIUDF. Senior police officers, senior officers of the BSF and others also accompanied him.

AASU president Dipanka Kumar Nath, who accompanied the chief minister, said the riverine international border is totally open and supported Sonowal’s demand that the Army should be deployed to create infrastructure to improve border guarding. “It is unfortunate that the international border is open even after 31 years of signing of the Assam Accord,” he said.

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