Indian and Bangladesh border guards agreed Sunday to keep a cease-fire in place after earlier gunbattles reportedly injured two children. The cease-fire extension from Saturday followed three hours of talks between India's Border Security Force and the Bangladesh Rifles near the scene of the clash, 500 kilometres (310 miles) north of Kolkata in West Bengal.
The cross-fire which began early Friday was sparked by a row over Indian repairs to the banks of the Mahananda River, which marks a small part of the border.
Thousands of people living in 13 villages along the border had to be evacuated during the firing .
"We are happy that the talks between the two sides have been successful," said Umed Ali from Adampur village.
"Bullets were flying across the river and two children were injured. We spent two sleepless nights in the mango orchards," he said.
The Border Security Force's deputy inspector general, Sameer Mitra, said Bangladesh had agreed to an Indian proposal to reinforce the bank of the Mahananda river with sandbags.
The two sides signed an accord in 1974 to maintain the banks of 50 rivers through which the border runs. But there has been a dispute over maintenance of the Mahananda River, with each side accusing the other of violating the treaty by carrying out work too close to the "zero line" marking the actual frontier.
"Bangladeshi officials have understood that our construction work is a temporary measure as it is urgently needed in the area because of the recent rains which have caused widespread soil erosion threatening the adjoining villages," Mitra said.
The talks between the two sides began Sunday morning.
The chiefs of the two forces will also meet to sort out the dispute in the Indian capital New Delhi on August 27, Mitra said.
"It was also agreed that Bangladesh will stop concrete construction on the riverbank on their side and the issue will be next discussed in the next meeting of the joint river commission to be held soon," he said.