President Joe Biden intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border — his first since taking office — in connection with his meeting next week in Mexico City with the leaders of Mexico and Canada. “That’s my intention, we’re working out the details now,” Biden told reporters Wednesday during a trip to Kentucky. Biden said upon his return to the White House that he hoped to see “what's going on” at the border and also planned to make remarks about border security on Thursday. Read more: Analysis: Biden, Zelenskyy try to keep Congress from balking There have been large increases in the number of migrants at the border even as a U.S. public health law remains in place that allows American authorities to turn away many people seeking asylum in the United States. Republican leaders have criticized the president for policies that they say are ineffective on border security and they have questioned why he has not made a trip there yet. The increased focus from Biden on the border also comes as the president prepares for a 2024 reelection bid. His sole declared potential rival, Donald Trump, rose to the top of the GOP ranks by animating the party's base voters with his hardline stances on immigration. But there was some praise Wednesday after the news. “I’m pleased President Biden will finally visit our southern border - which has been completely surrendered to the cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., among those most critical. Among the complaints on border security by Republicans is the amount of fentanyl coming into the U.S. via Mexico. A 2022 report from a bipartisan federal commission found that fentanyl and similar drugs are being made mostly in labs in Mexico from chemicals shipped primarily from China. And fentanyl and other lab-produced synthetic opioids now are driving an overdose crisis deadlier than any the U.S. has ever seen. But drug control advocates and experts say an anti-drug policy that relies on tighter border security is dangerous and likely futile. It's too easy to move in small, hard-to-detect quantities. Drug trafficking and immigration are among the top talking points at the summit Monday and Tuesday when Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are hosted by Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Early in his presidency, Biden put Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge at the border and work with Central American nations to address central causes of the problem. She visited El Paso, Texas, in June 2021 and was criticized for choosing a location too far from the epicenter of border crossings that straining federal resources. The number of migrants crossing the border has only risen. Read more: Biden signs gay marriage law, calls it ‘a blow against hate’ For now, the Supreme Court has for now kept in place Trump-era restrictions, often known as Title 42 in reference to a 1944 public health law, after Biden acted to end them and Republicans sued in response. Title 42 was invoked to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but there always has been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by then-President Donald Trump to seal off the border. Biden also has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants should the health restrictions end. And the president is limited in what he can do without immigration law changes. But in Congress, a bipartisan immigration bill was buried shortly before Republicans assumed control of the House. Biden made his comment about the upcoming visit during a stop in Kentucky at a highway bridge that is receiving federal dollars under the bipartisan infrastructure law. Trump visited the U.S. side of the border as president several times times, including one trip to McAllen, Texas, where he claimed Mexico would pay for the border wall. American taxpayers ended up covering the costs. Mexican leaders had flatly rejected the idea when Trump pressed them early on. "NO,” Enrique Peña Nieto, then Mexico’s president, tweeted in May 2018. “Mexico will NEVER pay for a wall. Not now, not ever. Sincerely, Mexico (all of us).”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked BGB personnel to continue performing their responsibilities with utmost sincerity, including protecting the borders; combating smuggling, drug trade, human trafficking, inter-border crimes; and providing security to the lives and property of the people living in the bordering areas. She also extended her thanks to the BGB members as they have been fulfilling their responsibilities with competence. The premier was addressing the parade of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Day-2022 at its headquarters in Dhaka. Read more: Nation never wants a repeat of Feb 2009 tragedy: PM to BGB personnel The PM said the border guards played a responsible role during the peaceful exchange of enclaves between Bangladesh and India. “We set an example for the world by exchanging enclaves amid a festive atmosphere,” she said. During the Rohingya influx into Bangladesh, BGB also carried out their responsibilities with efficiency, including the registration of the displaced people, she added. Focusing on the modernisation of BGB during her regime, Sheikh Hasina said the Awami League government has carried out massive development works and enacted a new law in order to enhance the capacity of the force under the BGB reform initiative. “BGB got the organizational shape of an efficient, strong, modern three-dimensional force,” she said, adding that now BGB is capable of performing its duty on land, water and air. The PM said her government has adopted the 'Border Guard Bangladesh Vision-2041' in a bid to develop the BGB as a world-class border guard force. Read more: Boost food production to avert any crisis: PM Hasina The 'Smart Digital Surveillance and Tactical Border Response System' has been installed at vulnerable border areas for seamless surveillance and countering trans-border terrorism, she said. Thanks to addition of the advanced and up-to-date weapons and equipment to the BGB, its operational capacity and competence has been enhanced, she noted. The PM said the present government has taken a plan to construct a total of 1,036 km of border roads with an aim of increasing the security of the hilly border areas and uplifting the socio-economic condition of the people living in the remote areas. The construction of 317 km border road in the first phase is in progress, she informed. The premier thanked the BGB for removing the words “Pak” or “Pakistan” from 14,005 border pillars on Bangladesh-India border and writing “Bangladesh” or “BD” in their places.

Law enforcement agencies have further strengthened security measures along Bangladesh-Myanmar border at Naikhongchhari point as locals reported firing from helicopters from the Myanmar side today (September 3, 2022), says an official. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe again on Sunday to lodge strong protest regarding the matter, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam told UNB. Around 9:20 am two helicopters and two aircraft appeared between pillar No 40 and 41 under Reju Amtali Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) BOP at Ghumdhum union of the upazila, said Md Jahangir Aziz, Chairman of Ghumdhum Union Parishad. “Two mortar shells fell 120 meters inside the Bangladesh border,” he said. For last few days tension has been growing along the Myanmar border with Bangladesh which has also spread among locals at Naikhongchhari and Ghumdhum border areas, said Md Tariqul Islam, Superintendent of Bandarban police. “Today locals have reported spotting firingfrom a Myanmar helicopter near the border and two mortar shells dropped from it” he said. The law enforcement agencies including Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) remains alert and intelligence surveillance has also been increased near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, said SP Tariqul Islam. Also read: “BGB vigilant, none can enter from Myanmar now” On Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh is better prepared so that none can enter from Myanmar now due to the deteriorated situation in Rakhine state.   The Myanmar side was warned twice in August following mortar shells landing in Bangladesh territory from Myanmar and strong protest was lodged in this regard. “We do not want to step into Myanmar's provocation or trap,” he said, adding that they (Myanmar side) might have a strategic benefit if they can move in such a unilateral direction. Also read: MOFA lodges strong protest over Myanmar’s mortar shells into Bangladesh The Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Monday summoned Myanmar Ambassador to Bangladesh Aung Kyaw Moe and lodged a strong protest against Myanmar’s mortar shells landing inside Bangladesh territory a day earlier.

Border forces of Bangladesh and Myanmar Wednesday agreed to work together to step up security in the border areas to ensure the safety of people and maintain peace. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Guard Police (BGP) of Myanmar decided this at a conference in Maungdaw. Police Brigadier General Htet Lwin, commander of BGP No. 1 Commanding Office, Maungdaw, led a 15-member Myanmar delegation, and BGB Cox's Bazar Regional Commander Brigadier General Nazam-us-Sakib led a 16-member Bangladesh delegation, said BGB headquarters Public Relations Officer Md Shariful Islam.  The meeting discussed issues like Bangladesh-Myanmar border security management, smuggling of drugs – including yaba, crystal meth (ice) – into Bangladesh from Myanmar; prevention of illegal entry into Bangladesh from Myanmar, cross-border crime, and the busting of terrorists or miscreants' camps or dens in border areas. READ:  Regional commander-level meeting in progress between BGB and BSF It also talked about improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Myanmar, electrified barbed-wire fences of the country at the border, and facilitation of the speedy release of Bangladeshi nationals who were detained after inadvertently or wrongly crossing into Myanmar. The two sides discussed the complete activation of the Border Liaison Office (BLO) of both the countries, joint patrols and pillar inspections on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. Through the conference, the BGB delegation was able to bring back four Bangladeshi nationals who were waiting to return home after their imprisonment in Myanmar.  The last border conference between the border forces was held on October 19, 2019. 

The residents of Doulatpur village along Chougachcha upazila in Jashore district are passing their days in fear of the new strain of Indian Covid-19 variant as they are living along the border area close to 'Indiapara'. Sources said, a road from India has entered into the Doulatpur village along its south-eastern side and a number of Indian residents are living in a part of the village, which is known as Indiapara. The residents of Daulatpur village have a close contact with the people of Indiapara and there is no boundary among them. Some 80-85 families of Indian nationals are living on that portion adjacent to the Bangladesh border. The total population of Indiapara is approximately 150. The residents of Indiapara are moving freely in the Bangladesh part of Daulatpur village dodging the Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB). Also read Coronavirus: 'Double mutant' Covid variant found in India The residents of Indiapara commute to Bagda Bazar and other parts of India everyday and then come home.  As the Indian variant of the Coronavirus has grown into a major concern around the world, panic gripped the inhabitants of the Doulatpur village due to free movement of the residents of Indiapara.  The local people have demanded to strengthen the border security along the border village of Indiapara. During a recent visit to the Daulatpur village, this UNB correspondent found that the people of Indiapara are moving freely in Bangladesh territory under the nose of border guards. An 85-year-old man of Indiapara, identified as Abul Kashem, was seen riding on a bicycle without face cover on the road in Bangladesh. Also Read New variant may be behind Covid surge in Bangladesh: Experts  Abul said “I have been living in Indiapara for the last several years and I have visited Badga Bazar in India for shopping. But now we have refrained from going to Bagda Bazar due to Covid-19 situation. I have many relatives in Bangladesh and I used to move in Bangladesh from my childhood like this.” Tariqul Islam, a resident of Doulatpur, said “We have heard that Covid-19 has grappled the Bagda Bazar and other villages along the border. As a result, the Covid-19 may spread among the residents of Indiapara.” Abdul Karim, another resident of Andulia village in Chougachcha upazila, said “I have a land along the village of Doulatpur and Indiapara and I visited my land everyday for work purpose and we are now concern about the movement of the residents of Indiapara as the Covid-19 may spread to our country.” Tota Mia, a resident of Doulatpur village and chairman of Sukhpukuria union, said “There is a small village of India inside our country and we are concerned about the Indian variant. The residents of Indiapara have been asked to refrain from going other areas adjacent to Bangladesh.” Read 10-year-old India returnee tests positive for Covid in Jashore However, the residents of Daulatpur also asked to refrain from making any contact with the people in India, he said. Subedar Shahinur Rahman of BGB-49 Andulia camp, said “We kept a vigil  about the new strain of Covid-19 in India and we have strengthened our security to check movement of any people coming from Indiapara.” On May 17, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) announced that the Indian variant was found in six Covid-19 patients in Bangladesh. Two cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant were detected at the Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology for the first time on May 8. Read Woman kept under quarantine dies in Jashore Earlier that day, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the first case of Indian coronavirus variant in Bangladesh. The Indian strain of the virus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and it has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir.  India’s crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi.  According to the World Health Organisation, the Indian COVID variant has already spread to 60 countries across the world. Read 7 who fled Covid facility in Jashore arrested, later released on bail

Bangladesh and India on Saturday reaffirmed not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity "inimical" to each other’s interests.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday hopes that steps taken for the welfare of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members give more impetus for its operational activities and help it achieve greater success.  

The mobile networks, which were blocked in frontier areas of the country for security reasons, have been restored on Tuesday night.