BSF carrying out its duty despite ongoing pandemic: U. K. Nayal

Shillong, Dec 18: The Border Security Force (BSF), which is entrusted with guarding the international border with Bangladesh that Meghalaya shares has been carrying out its duty with utmost dedication despite the ongoing pandemic, its spokesperson today said.

“The BSF Meghalaya strongly stands to shield 443 kilometers of international border with Bangladesh which is full of challenges owing to existing tough terrain and extreme hard climatic conditions,” BSF Meghalaya Frontier, spokesperson, U K Nayal, said.

According to Nayal, BSF troopers deployed on international border of Khasi- Jaintia as well as Garo Hills face different problems pertaining to different regions.

“As far as the border areas of Khasi and Jaintia Hills are concerned, one has to bear with moist warm weather, heavy rain, dense wood, thunderstorms, ferric drinking water, fungal infection and hundreds of other problems which make living condition pathetic,” he narrated.

Apart from these, Nayal said, “Life threat from the miscreants, smugglers and insurgents is a separate issue to tackle with. Despite all these odds and amidst COVID-19 pandemic, BSF Meghalaya stands tall in serving the nation.”

During the year 2020, BSF Meghalaya had affected seizures worth Rs 39 crores, which includes 10,000 cattle worth more than Rs 16 crores, psychotropic substances of Rs 87 lakhs and miscellaneous items worth more than Rs 22 crore.

Apart from these, Nayal said, BSF Meghalaya apprehended 179 Indian nationals and 19 Bangladesh nationals,” the BSF informed.

“As winter is reaching its climax and it is getting difficult for people to remain outside of their abode for long, the BSF troops are braving the bone chilling cold, standing vigilant day and night at the international border. The fog all around deteriorates the condition even more,” the BSF Meghalaya Frontier, Spokesperson said.

Nayal added, “Despite all these hardships, BSF troops are looking after the border with utmost sincerity and determination as we are expected to do”.

Meanwhile, the BSF troopers in a joint operation with Meghalaya Police, carried out by a team led by Barun Kumar Singh, Deputy Commandant BSF on Thursday intercepted one Indian national namely Anowar Islam (21), of Jordanga Village, Mankachar, Assam with 3499 Yaba tablets worth Rs 17,50,000 in his possession.

Islam was nabbed while heading towards the border area to deliver the consignment to Bangladesh accomplice. The apprehended person and seized items were handed over to the police for further disposal.

“During the year 2020, BSF Meghalaya seized more than 15 thousand Yaba tablets worth Rs 72 lakh. The Yaba tablet is consumed in Bangladesh in huge quantity despite continuous special drives against this psychotropic substance and apprehensions of involved persons by BSF and Bangladesh law enforcement agencies,” Nayal said.

“The BSF has intensified its operations on the Indo-Bangladesh Border to prevent such illegal transport of narcotics and will try its level best to knock down the syndicate behind such activities,” the BSF official asserted.