Introductory Memo
For years, the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal has remained more than just a security challenge. It has been at the centre of a larger political battle over infiltration, border control and governance. Repeated concerns were raised around illegal penetration, smuggling networks and border-linked crimes. Still, a crucial stretch of more than 300km fencing remained stuck due to delays in land transfer and administrative approvals. While border security falls under the Centre through the Border Security Force, progress on the ground depended heavily on state-level cooperation. The issue became even more politically charged after the expansion of BSF jurisdiction in 2021, turning border management into a debate over national security versus illegal infiltration.
With the new BJP-led government now moving ahead with land handover for fencing, an old border deadlock has suddenly re-entered the spotlight. But why did this issue remain unresolved for so long? Was BSF repeatedly pushed to the sidelines as political considerations and vote-bank calculations shaped key decisions by the previous government?