Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has maintained an unyielding stance of firmness, restraint, and professionalism in resisting attempts at forced push-ins along the nation’s frontiers.
Between 1 January and 15 October this year, BGB personnel successfully thwarted the illegal push-in of 1,275 individuals across 182 separate incidents spanning 23 border districts through continuous patrolling, active surveillance, and sustained inter-agency communication, BGB Headquarters Director (Operations) Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman said at a press briefing on Friday.
BGB emphasized that maintaining a strictly secured border environment directly underpins national stability and prevents criminal elements, illegal weapons, and contraband from entering the country during major public events.
Integrated security plan for Durga Puja mandaps
Alongside its heightened border defense operations, BGB has rolled out an all-out security plan for Durga Puja, one of the primary religious festivals of the Hindu community celebrating communal harmony and coexistence.
To ensure that devotees conduct religious rituals peacefully and without hindrance, BGB forces will be deployed across the country from 16 to 22 October to safeguard a total of 2,727 Durga Puja mandaps.
Security arrangements have been tailored around access routes, local environments, and communication networks based on field-level reconnaissance and spot observations.
The deployment encompasses 1,425 mandaps situated within eight kilometres of the border, 1,119 mandaps within three kilometres of battalion headquarters, and 183 mandaps located in remote and inaccessible regions.
BGB will take the primary role in securing border-area mandaps, while providing coordinated assistance alongside local administrations, police, and puja celebration committees in other designated areas, with contingency preparations in place to reinforce support if required.
Base camps, digital monitoring, and capital operations
To guarantee that no region is left unprotected due to geographical distance or terrain, BGB plans to establish 18 base camps in remote zones, keeping emergency assistance teams and a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) on standby.
The border force is leveraging the Sharadiya Suraksha App to facilitate real-time monitoring, information sharing, and field-level coordination.
Dedicated monitoring cells have been operationalized at headquarters and field levels to evaluate incoming intelligence rapidly, supported by operational rehearsals to verify field readiness.
In the capital, BGB will operate under government directives, coordinating closely with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and local administration to conduct patrols, render security support, and respond swiftly to emergencies.
Stance against rumours and disinformation
BGB has instituted special vigilance against rumours, unverified statements, edited videos, or outdated photographs that could trigger anxiety or communal provocation. Urging citizens to verify sensitive information before sharing, BGB requested the public and puja celebration committees to report suspicious activity promptly to the nearest BGB camp, police, or local administration.
Duty personnel have been instructed to follow applicable laws and authorized directives strictly, placing maximum emphasis on protecting human life, exercising restraint, and displaying courtesy and empathy toward the public.
Reassuring the Hindu community, BGB affirmed that security forces stand beside them so festivities can be observed peacefully.
Major anti-smuggling, arms, and drug seizures
Sustaining its routine anti-smuggling drives alongside special festival duties, BGB seized contraband goods valued at approximately Tk2,086 crore between 1 January and 15 October 2026, protecting legitimate trade and national economic interests.
Prioritising narcotics control, anti-drug drives during this period yielded over 2.60 crore Yaba tablets, 40 kg of Crystal Meth (Ice), nearly 16,000 kg of cannabis, 9 kg of heroin, and 28,000 bottles of Phensedyl, leading to the arrest of 1,533 individuals.
In anti-arms operations over the same period, BGB recovered 78 pistols, seven rifles, one SMG, seven grenades, 12 mines, and 3,213 rounds of ammunition. A total of 1,957 individuals involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and other illegal border trade were detained and handed over to police stations.
Additionally, BGB rescued 42 human trafficking victims, including women and children, and arrested 20 human traffickers while conducting community awareness drives.
Protecting essential commodities and modernising operations
To protect essential supply chains and national agricultural output, BGB intensified drives against contraband smuggling, seizing approximately 158 metric tonnes of chemical fertiliser, 102,000 litres of fuel oil, and 15,000 litres of edible oil.
BGB is expanding its use of drones, night-vision gear, and modern surveillance technologies to boost operational efficiency, while continuing civic welfare programmes, youth skill development, and medical assistance for border residents.
Reaffirming its commitment to border security, economic interests, and human dignity, BGB extended warm Durga Puja greetings to all.
