Government data released on Tuesday revealed that the Indo-Bangladesh border recorded the highest number of infiltration attempts in 2025. Between January and November, there were 1,104 recorded attempts to cross the border, resulting in the apprehension of 2,556 individuals. This is the highest among all of India's borders, including those with Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan.
The 4,096.7 km long India-Bangladesh border spans five states: West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km), and Mizoram (318 km). The Border Security Force (BSF) is the primary agency responsible for guarding this border and gathering intelligence.
According to Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, since 2014, over 8,500 infiltration attempts have been detected across India's borders, leading to more than 20,800 arrests. The India-Bangladesh border accounts for a significant portion of these, with over 7,500 attempts and 18,800 arrests recorded between 2014 and 2024.
Year-wise data for the India-Bangladesh border shows fluctuations in infiltration attempts. In 2014, 855 attempts were detected, leading to 2,160 arrests. The numbers decreased to 500 attempts and 1,109 arrests in 2019. However, there has been a recent increase, with 977 attempts and 2,525 arrests in 2024.
The government has been actively working to secure the border by constructing a fence. As of early 2025, 3,232.218 km of the 4,096.7 km border had been fenced. The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that 79.08% of the border with Bangladesh has been fenced, while 93.25% of the border with Pakistan has been fenced. Challenges to completing the fencing include land acquisition issues, objections from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), limited working seasons, and difficult terrain. Approximately 864.482 km of the India-Bangladesh border remains unfenced, including 174.514 km considered "non-feasible".
Recent tensions have arisen between India and Bangladesh regarding the border fence. Bangladesh has raised concerns about India's attempts to construct barbed wire fencing, stating that these actions violate the 1975 Memorandum of Understanding, which prohibits construction within 150 yards of the zero line without mutual consent. India maintains that the fencing is necessary to curb cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, and unauthorized migration.
In light of these challenges, the BSF and BGB hold bi-annual talks to discuss border-related issues. These discussions include border fence construction, prevention of attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians, prevention of trans-border crimes, and coordinated efforts for effective border management.
India has also heightened security measures along the Bangladesh border due to intelligence inputs suggesting a possible terror threat. The Border Security Force (BSF) has restructured its deployment plan and increased patrols in vulnerable regions, particularly in West Bengal. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and local police have been instructed to increase surveillance at airports in West Bengal and the Northeast.
