Guwahati: Recognising the influx problem in Assam as a national one, the tripartite talks in Guwahati on implementation of the Assam Accord resolved to adopt measures for sealing the Indo-Bangladesh border to prevent further infiltration of Bangladeshis, official sources on February 15 said.

Union Home Ministry joint secretary R C Jain announced at the meeting on February 14 that the Centre accepted the problem of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in Assam as a national problem.

The meeting among the state and Central governments and All Assam Students Union (AASU) representatives also decided that steps would be taken for beefing up security along the international boundary.

There was also the need for installing floodlights along the border to prevent migrants from slipping in during night hours, the meeting resolved.

The meeting also decided that the decision earlier taken for joint patrolling by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Assam police along the border should be immediately implemented.

Vigil would be improved by setting up additional police pickets and enhancing patrolling along the waterways, the sources said.

For expediting the ongoing border fencing work, the meeting decided to hand over the works and construction of border roads to a new agency.

The AASU demand for upgradation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) 1951 till March 25, 1971, was also accepted for preparing a list of genuine Indian citizens living in the state, the sources said.

PTI