Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday once again asked BSF to ensure total clampdown on cattle smuggling to Bangladesh. He said that by bringing down the illegal trade by 70 per cent, the border force has earned the respect of the nation, reported The Indian Express.

‘The steps you took to stop cattle smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border have brought a sharp decline in cattle-smuggling, and your respect has grown in entire India (due to this)… From April this year till now, these instances have come down by 70 per cent. I am sure that this force will be successful in curbing cattle-smuggling hundred per cent,’ he said while speaking at the 50th ‘Raising Day’ celebrations of the BSF.

‘The minister said many delegations from various parts of the country had met him in the past and congratulated him for bringing down the menace of illegal transport of cattle. ‘I want to convey these good wishes to you (BSF personnel),’ he added.’

‘At the Raising Day celebrations last year, the home minister had asked the BSF personnel and officers to mount effective vigil and stop cattle-smuggling instances, which had become rampant along the Bangladesh border.’

‘Earlier this year, he had addressed the troops of the force at a border camp in South Bengal frontier and not only complimented them for checking animal-smuggling but reiterated that these efforts need to be more effective.’

The BSF guards the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border, which is interspersed with riverine, dense forests and hilly terrains. Singh also lauded the force for giving a ‘befitting reply’ against ceasefire violations along India’s border with Pakistan.