The 56th Border Conference between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) began Tuesday at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka. The 21-member Bangladesh delegation, led by BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, sat across from an 11-member Indian delegation led by BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary. Key issues on the agenda include curbing border killings, illegal infiltration, smuggling of drugs and weapons, prevention of unauthorized construction within 150 yards of the international border, and safeguarding riverbanks and water-sharing rights. The conference will also address tension created by anti-Bangladesh narratives in sections of the Indian media and explore steps to ease bilateral strains.