Dhaka, May 17 – In a strategic move to strengthen security across its southwestern riverine frontier with India, Bangladesh has inaugurated a third floating Border Outpost (BOP) in the Sundarbans region. The new installation, established by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), aims to enhance patrol and surveillance operations via waterways.
The floating BOP is located at the confluence of the Roymongol River and the Boyesing Canal in the Shyamnagar sub-district of Satkhira, approximately 300 kilometers southwest of Dhaka.
Retired Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the Home Affairs Adviser to the interim government, officially inaugurated the outpost on Saturday. During the event, he emphasized the critical role of the floating BOP in tackling cross-border crimes.
“Maintaining security and patrols in the vast wetland and riverine border areas is challenging. This floating BOP will help BGB ensure immediate and effective responses to prevent smuggling, human trafficking, forest resource looting, and other border crimes,” Chowdhury stated.
Built at the Narayanganj dockyard, the outpost is part of a broader effort to secure the 4,156-kilometre-long Bangladesh-India border, which includes about 180 kilometres of riverine boundary. Of that, 79 kilometres run through the Sundarbans.
BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, who attended the ceremony along with other senior officials, noted the persistent threat of smuggling in the Boyesing Canal region. He said the establishment of the third floating BOP was essential to curb these illegal activities.
The BGB launched its first floating border post at Sundarban’s Kachhikata in 2013, followed by the second at the confluence of the Roymongol River and Atharobeki Canal in 2017.
The latest addition reflects Bangladesh's continued commitment to enhancing border security in challenging terrains, particularly within the ecologically sensitive and strategically significant Sundarbans.
