Bangladesh to equip paramilitary border guards with sound grenades, tear gas

DHAKA: Bangladesh's interim government on Monday said it will equip the country's paramilitary border guards with non-lethal sound grenades and tear gas canisters, mirroring practices adopted by its Indian counterpart.

Home Affairs Adviser retired Lieutenant General M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury confirmed the decision during a press briefing at the Secretariat here.

"We have already approved the procurement of sound grenades and tear gas shells for Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB),” he told reporters in reply to a question after a meeting on law and order attended by Social Welfare Adviser Sharmin Murshid and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' special assistant Khuda Baksh.

When asked about India's potential reaction to the move, Chowdhury said there is no reason for New Delhi to view the decision "negatively", as its Border Security Force (BSF) has already employed similar non-lethal weaponry along the shared border.

He, however, asserted that the border situation is stable and there are "no major problems" at the moment.

While BGB is currently equipped with lethal arms for critical situations, Chowdhury emphasised the importance of augmenting their capacity to maintain peace and respond swiftly during emergencies.

Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-km-long international border. Five states -- Assam, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura shares borders with Bangladesh.

According to weaponry experts, sound grenades, also known as stun grenades, are non-lethal explosive devices used to disorient individuals temporarily mobs with loud noise and intense flashes. Tear gas, meanwhile, induces severe eye irritation, blurred vision, burning sensations, and respiratory distress, making it effective for crowd control.

Last week, BSF troops used a stun grenade to successfully thwart a smuggling attempt in North 24 Parganas district along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

In a related development, the government also announced new uniforms for various security forces.

Chowdhury said police personnel will don "iron-colour" uniforms, while the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) comprising members of the army, navy, air force, and regular police will adopt olive-green attire. The para-police force Ansar will transition to uniforms in a "golden wheat" colour.