For the first time, India to fence 90km of Sundarbans border with BD due to national security reasons
India to fence about 90km of the Sundarbans border with Bangladesh for the first time, citing national security; locals fear land loss.
In a Nutshell:
- India will fence about 90 kilometres of Sundarbans border with Bangladesh for the first time.
- Locals worry about losing land, but government promises compensation and rehabilitation.
- BSF says fencing is needed for national security and work will start soon.
Why it Matters
This is the first time India is building a barrier through Sundarbans, ending decades of open riverine border secured only by outposts. This move comes after BJP took power in West Bengal in May, and lands at a time of already strained Bangladesh-India ties, adding an obstacle along a border long managed through patrols. Fencing through a protected wildlife sanctuary also raises fresh environmental and legal questions on 71 kilometres of the route.
What We Think
A first ever fence through Sundarbans, right after a power change in West Bengal, is much political as it is security driven, and will likely deepen mistrust at an already tense moment in relations. Locals losing land for a barrier they never asked for, plus hotels facing possible relocation, show security priorities are landing hardest on ordinary border communities.