It is heartening that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) of India are going to clean jungles, orchards and tea gardens on either side of the ‘no-man’s land’ on the Bangladesh-India border to curb cross-border terrorism. At the same time, the border forces of the two countries will stop cultivation of crops like jute, sugarcane, maize and banana in the bordering areas for the same purpose.

No country can be gainer by indulging in cross-border terrorism. Terrorism destroys peace and tranquility and is detrimental to progress and prosperity.  There is ample scope to form comprehensive economic partnership between India and Bangladesh considering the existing situation and friendly relations persisting between the two countries. Both the countries can gradually strive for infrastructural development and necessary facilities of the land customs ports along the Bangladesh-India borders alongside ensuring speedy offloading of goods from those land ports.

As per international border laws, no one can allow growth of forest, jungle, tea garden or orchard, and cultivate crops like jute, sugarcane, maize and banana inside 150 yards of the ‘no-man’s land’. Cross-border terrorism was not being curbed because there are such forests, jungles, tea gardens and orchards, and even cultivation of jute, sugarcane, maize and banana by farmers of either country.

As India is a good trade partner of Bangladesh, the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries is satisfactory. A business-friendly environment through boosting bilateral relations between the businesses of the two countries can benefit both the countries. Efforts should be made to minimize this trade gap and barriers as well as further promoting business-friendly environment between the two countries.

There is no substitute for rooting out terrorism from the borders. If peaceful environment persists, both the countries will be benefited. This will create employment opportunity for the jobless people on the one hand and strengthen the economy of both the countries on the other. It is expected that the respective governments will strive to achieve this goal.

What is needed is creation of awareness among local farmers of the respective countries. The border forces of the two countries can play vital roles in this regard.