Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, Kolkata, June 7, 2025: Amid rising concerns over security along the India-Bangladesh border, the West Bengal government has initiated the process to hand over 356 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the installation of barbed wire fencing in unfenced areas. This move comes after a prolonged delay and increasing pressure from the Centre to expedite the land transfer essential for national security.
So far, the Union government has sanctioned funds for the acquisition of 680 acres of land across various border districts of West Bengal. Of this, 324 acres have already been handed over to the BSF. The remaining 356 acres had been stuck in administrative complications, but recent developments suggest a breakthrough. Officials at Nabanna—the state secretariat—confirmed that instructions have now been issued to speed up the land acquisition process and facilitate immediate transfer to the border security agency.
The breakthrough follows a high-level meeting held last Sunday between senior state government officials and the Union Home Secretary. Sources suggest that this meeting helped iron out differences and led to a mutual agreement. District Magistrates of key border districts including Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, and Cooch Behar have been instructed to acquire the required land from private landowners on a priority basis. Once completed, the land will be formally handed over to the BSF to begin fencing operations.
The decision is being implemented on a war-footing, with administrative heads of the concerned districts directed to avoid any further delays. Senior officials from the state government confirmed that this is being treated as a top-priority issue, considering the increasing incidents of illegal infiltration through the unfenced segments of the border.
The urgency also stems from intelligence inputs received by both central and state agencies about attempts by extremist groups based in Bangladesh—including Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT), and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)—to infiltrate operatives into West Bengal. The objective of such infiltration, officials say, is to establish sleeper cells in bordering districts.
The BSF has long flagged these gaps in border security, citing them as significant vulnerabilities exploited for illegal crossings, smuggling, and other transnational crimes. With the land handover process now underway, security agencies are hopeful that fencing operations can be completed swiftly, strengthening the state’s border infrastructure and minimizing the risks posed by unfenced stretches.
