It is a problem of different kind and unique in its own nature. A situation being faced by Indian small tea garden owners at Indo-Bangladesh border. Bangaladeshi miscreants are illegally churning out benefit out of these Indian gardens on official Indian land. But the situation goes unabated. "Over 1000 small tea plantations, recognized by Tea Board of India, are situated in the land along Indo Bangla border. Even many of them have special permission of Border Security Force(BSF) guarding the international border, for plantation of tea. Still, these gardens are victims of a situation,"said Mr. Bijoy Gopal Chakroborty, President, Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations CISTA Regular and frequent theft of farming equipments like irrigation pump, machines, pipes, spray machines, sprinklers, essential for plantation, remained a regular phenomenon. Now the addition is green leaf theft. Large scale pilferage has hit hard the economy of these STGs- he informed. The problem stands on a deep foundation. "India has almost completed erecting around 4000 km long heavy, 3 meter high, multi layered, barbed wire fence almost all along its entire 3200km long border with Bangladesh to keep illegal immigration and smuggling under control. Out of this, 1066 km border line comes along north Bengal. But- as per border treaty, no permanent establishment with 'war potential' can be erected within 150 yard of the border. So, the fence, a structure belonging to that class, is at 150 yards off from the actual border zero line within Indian side," informed senior BSF officials. That has made situation critical for the planters having their plantations in the Bangladesh side of fence. Indian's having valid citizenship proof can cross the border through gates in fence during daytime but as per BSF's schedule only. Passage through the gates during nighttime is primarily for BSF personnel only. Naturally, the plantations remain out of guard of the garden owners for long. Despite knowing people entering into plantation form Bangladesh, we cannot do anything other than calling BSF. "We accept that BSF is always active everywhere. But it is impossible for them too to keep everyone out of our lands in opposite side of the fence," said Mr. P. Saha a planter. Source: articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-01-15/news/46224572_1_indo-bangla-border-border-security-force-bsf