The government is set to procure sound grenades and teargas shells for the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), said Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (ret) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.

"The BGB has always been equipped with deadly weapons, but they have not had non-lethal alternatives like sound grenades or tear gas. On January 18, there were tensions along the Chapainawabganj border, where Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) reportedly used teargas and sound grenades. But the BGB did not have these options at their disposal," he said following a meeting at his ministry on Monday.

Over 33,000 foreigners illegally staying in Bangladesh: Home Adviser

In the past, the Adviser said, the BGB had been equipped solely with lethal weapons, which had led to questions about why the force did not use sound grenades or tear gas during border confrontations.

In light of these developments, Jahangir Alam said, the government had now authorised the purchase of non-lethal crowd control equipment for the BGB.

"We have given permission to procure these items. The BGB already has access to deadly weapons, but they did not have items like sound grenades or tear gas, which will now be acquired for their use," he added.

In comparison, the BSF currently possesses such equipment, giving them an advantage in handling border situations that require non-lethal means of crowd control, he said.

Despite these issues, the Adviser said, the border situation remains stable, with no major problems reported at present.

Meeting underway to finalise new uniform designs for police, RAB, Ansar

Turning to the issue of foreign nationals residing illegally in Bangladesh, the Adviser provided updates on a previous circular regarding the matter.

"Previously, we reported that 49,226 foreign nationals were residing illegally in Bangladesh after their visas had expired. However, this number has now been reduceda to 33,648. The deadline for these individuals to leave the country is set for January 31," he said.