Agartala, Jan 13

India and Bangladesh are jointly patrolling their common border specially in the unfenced, sensitive and vulnerable areas, an official said here Monday.

"Jawans of Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have been carrying out joint patrolling along the borders to prevent unwanted elements from crossing the borders in view of the political turmoil in Bangladesh," a BSF official told reporters.

"Such mutual patrolling would continue until the situation becomes normal in Bangladesh. The combined guarding is being done specially along the unfenced, sensitive and vulnerable bordering areas," the official said.

India's five states - West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram - share a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh. A large portion of the International Border remains unfenced and porous.

There are a large number of thickly populated Bangladeshi villages and towns on the other side of the International Border, making patrolling a delicate task for the Indian border guards and other security forces.

In view of the ongoing political turmoil in that country, India had earlier tightened the vigil along its border with Bangladesh.

Tripura Director General of Police C. Balasubramanian said: "The government has asked the BSF to keep maximum alert along the border. We have asked the superintendents of police of bordering districts to take necessary measures to deal with the situation."

BSF Director General Subhash Joshi last month inspected the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura and other northeastern states to review the security.

According to media reports in Bangladesh, over 200 houses and shops belonging to the minority Hindu community have been vandalised and looted by the Jamaat-e-Islami activists in different parts of Bangladesh's Jessore and Dinajpur districts.

Fresh incidents of rapes and attacks were reported from a village close to Jessore district.

By:IANS