NEW DELHI

India summoned Bangladesh’s top diplomat Monday, a day after Dhaka summoned India’s high commissioner to protest the installation of barbed wire fencing along the countries’ shared border, calling it a “violation of international law."

The Indian Foreign Ministry said Bangladesh's acting High Commissioner, Nural Islam, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, and it was conveyed to Dhaka that regarding “security measures at the border, including on fencing, India observed all protocols and agreements between the two governments and between the Border Security Force and Border Guard Bangladesh.”

India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, the movement of criminals and trafficking,” the statement said, adding “barbed wire fencing, border lighting and the installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border.”

“India conveyed its expectation that all earlier understandings will be implemented by Bangladesh and that there will be a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes,” it said.
The neighboring countries share a 4,096-kilometer (2,545-mile) border, one of the longest land borders in the world. In total, India fenced 3,271 kilometers (2,032 miles) of border area.

The two nations have been involved in a bitter exchange after the fall of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Aug. 5 in a student-led mass uprising. Hasina was treated as a close ally of India.

The construction of barbed wire fencing has already been halted in five locations including the Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Lalmonirhat border districts, according to Bangladeshi officials.