Bangladesh and India have agreed to address a number of outstanding issues including transfer of prisoners. The new Indian government is also positive about ratifying Land Boundary Agreement.
Under the Extradition Treaty, Bangladesh have placed requests for a number of Bangladeshi people imprisoned in India including Nur Hossain, prime accused of the Narayanganj seven murders. India, on the other hand, have also sent some extradition requests of its own.
The two sides have reached an agreement at a meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting at a city hotel yesterday.
As part of the bilateral home secretary-level meeting, Bangladesh Home Ministry Additional Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed led a 12-member Bangladesh delegation at the JWG meeting while Indian Joint Secretary Shambhu Singh led the Indian side.
The two-day 15th home secretary-level meeting is scheduled to be held today and tomorrow.
While briefing journalists after the three-hour meeting that began at 3:30pm, Kamal said it had been very fruitful.
“We have discussed various security related issues, and reached agreements on a number of outstanding issues including handing over sentenced persons,” the additional secretary said.
He also said: “We have sought back sentenced persons and India have given us a list of 12 people imprisoned in Bangladesh. Both sides have agreed on the handover.”
Yesterday, the Indian side has also provided a list of 879 Bangladeshi nationals imprisoned in India. Kamal said: “We wanted to know specific information [about them].”
About repatriation of Nur Hossain, Kamal said: “We will see some positive results.” Asked about the extradition of Ulfa leader Anup Chetia, he said it had also been discussed and that there would be more discussions.
Kamal Uddin said: “We have also reached an agreement on the Land Boundary Agreement. We were told that the new Indian government was positive in this regard.”
He said the LBA had been signed between two countries in 1972 and for various reasons, India have not ratified it. As a result, the agreement had never been effective. Bangladesh ratified the agreement in 1974.
Kamal said of the issue was bilaterally settle, the tension at the borders would calm down. “We have discussed border killings. We have agreed that it has come down in comparison to earlier times.
“We have pressed that not a single person should be killed if they cross the border and the Indian side assured that they would cooperate fully,” he said.
“We have agreed to set up an immigration point at Banglabanda and Fulbaria for the promotion of trade and tourism. The people of both countries would be benefited from it,” he said adding that an MoU for stopping trafficking and smuggling would also be signed.
“Drugs have been affecting our youth. But these are not produced here. India have assured us that they will take steps in this regard,” Kamal said.
He also said the meeting between deputy commissioners and Indian district magistrates would start in October in nine clusters.
“We have discussed the insurgent issue as well. We have told them that the Bangladesh government will not allow insurgent groups to use our territory against any other country,” Kamal said.
He also said all these issues would be discussed at the secretary-level meeting today and tomorrow.
At the meeting, Bangladesh Home Secretary Mozammel Haque Khan will lead the 13-member Bangladesh delegation and Indian Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami will lead their 12-member team.
On September 4, the two sides will sign an Agreed Minutes of the secretary-level meeting.
