The dispute over border fencing and existence of terror infrastructure in Bangladesh are expected to dominate the director general-level talks between Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles beginning in New Delhi on September 26.

At the six-day bi-annual meeting, the issue of killing of BSF officer allegedly by BDR personnel in Tripura in April will also be raised by the Indian side which will seek an account of action taken in the matter.

Caught between erosion and firing

"BSF will raise the issue of fencing which is being opposed by BDR in certain areas where India proposes to erect the barricade within the 150 yards (about 200 metres) of the zero line," sources in the border force told PTI in New Delhi on Sunday.

Bangladesh argues that erection of the fence within 150 yards of the zero line violates the 1975 Boundary Agreement between the two countries, which stipulates that no barricade can be set up by either country within this distance of the border.

'You can't kill a uniformed officer like this'

Rejecting Bangladesh's contention, India insists that in certain areas along the 4095-km long border, the fence had to be erected within the 150-yard strip because of topographical and technical reasons.

"There are many areas where terrain does not permit erection of the fence at the distance of 150 yards from zero line. So at such places, we have to go closer to the zero line, of course within our territory," the BSF sources added.

Column: The Bangladesh threat