Dhaka, Jan 20 (V7N) —Sound grenades and tear shells are being procured for the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), according to the Home Affairs Adviser, Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
He shared this information with journalists on Monday after a meeting of the advisory committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs, held at the ministry's conference room.
The adviser said: "BGB has always been equipped with lethal weapons for border security. After the incident at the Chapainawabganj border, many questioned why the BGB did not use sound grenades or tear shells. But BGB did not have these. They only had lethal weapons, which they could not use in that situation."
He added: "On Saturday, tensions arose between citizens of the two countries at the Chapainawabganj border. During that time, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly used tear shells and sound grenades. However, BGB did not use them as they were not equipped with such tools. We have now granted permission for BGB to acquire these items. In addition to lethal weapons, necessary tools like sound grenades and tear shells will be procured for them."
The home affairs adviser assured that the border is currently stable, saying: "There are no major issues at present. We are monitoring the situation to prevent any clashes in the border areas."
Regarding foreigners residing illegally in Bangladesh, he said: "An earlier circular mentioned that many foreign nationals are residing illegally in our country, their visa validity having expired. Previously, 49,226 foreigners were living illegally in Bangladesh, but that number has now reduced to 33,648. Their deadline is set for January 31."
The adviser further added: "So far, we have generated revenue amounting to Tk10.53 crore from these foreigners. Employers are required to obtain permits to hire foreign workers. However, if companies provide jobs without the necessary approval, action will also be taken against those organizations."
END/MSS/AJ
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