Dzongkhag sensitizes staff and students on border re-opening SOP

On 19 September 2022, Samtse Dzongkhag sensitized the faculty, staff and students on standard operating procedures (SOP) for international border re-opening.

In the sensitization, Dasho Dzongdag of Samtse Dzongkhag said, after the government announcement of the international border re-opening scheduled on 23 September 2022, there is a lot of excitement in people on both sides of the border. And it is important for all especially Bhutanese to understand the situation and its potential implications. Dasho Dzongdag further shared, staff and students as educated individuals and also having understood the government policies and regulations through different forms of media, it is important to share and disseminate the right information to the family members, relatives and community within.

“Bhutan has been exemplary in the management of COVID-19 under the leadership of His Majesty The King and also due to support given by people. And we acknowledge your support and give our gratitude. Once more we require the same level of support from everyone”, Dasho said. He further recollected that in schools, principals would say obeying rules and being a good student is a great support to the school system. Just like this, we look forward to all of you simply following government policies, regulations and SOPs and this will be the greatest contribution to the country’s sovereignty and security.

Dasho Dzongdag also provided information about Samtse sharing 142 kilometres long border with Indian states viz: Sikkim and West Bengal and its management. “There are formal entry-exit points but also many illegal routes. In total, there are 191 outposts manned by the Royal Bhutanese Army and Desuups to deter illegal border crossings and activities”, he added.

Sensitization also highlighted that few people were spreading wrong information across the border leading to disinformation and misinformation. This is a risk that can lead to the development of anti-Bhutan sentiments and attitudes in our Indian counterparts across the border which is not positive and healthy for the age-old relationships our people living across the borders have shared with each other.

Dasho Dzongdag concluded by highlighting that staff and students are ambassadors and representatives of the dzongkhag and requesting to help the dzongkhag in spreading correct information.

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