So the question is, why could not they arrange the flag meeting well before the situation went out of control? Why those shoot-outs and red alerts were resorted to that only served to strain relations between the two neighbours? There are well laid out procedures, that both sides should repose their faith in and abide by, for settling any dispute or defusing tension. Why can't they remain within the procedures? Once the meeting was held, the task of bringing back peace appeared surprisingly easy.

And that is something which shows that lack of communication is at the root of problems cropping up between the BDR and the BSF so often. The point that we are trying to drive home is that there should be more effective communication between them in order to avoid the kind of flare-up witnessed along the Chapainnawabganj border.

What has come out of the meeting is that they have agreed not to dump sandbags and concrete blocks within 150 yards of the zero line on either side of the border. And in case of protecting river banks, an understanding has been reached that both sides will refrain from doing anything that might change the flow of the river.

So they didn't have to address tricky issues, rather the decision to go by the JRC rules was enough to settle the dispute which caused so much suffering to the people living in the border area. It is in the interest of good neighbourliness that border tension is not allowed to explode into shoot-outs, which are most undesirable when it comes to two friendly nations.

Finally, we expect that the understanding reached in top level meetings between Dhaka and Delhi will be amply reflected in the situation in border areas.