India, Bangladesh Home Secretaries discuss issues of bilateral concern

Home secretaries of India and Bangladesh recently held delegation level talks in Dhaka to review issues of bilateral concern like cross-border crimes, eviction of Indian insurgent groups from Bangladesh and illegal cross-border movement.

The Indian delegation was led by Indian Home Secretary Anil Goswami while the Bangladeshi delegation was led by his counterpart Mozammel Haque Khan.

The three-day-long event marked discussions on several key issues including security and cross border crimes, border management and land boundary agreement.

While discussing the issue of militancy, Bangladesh side reassured Delhi of its pledge to not allow its soil to be used by any terrorist or militant forces.

Meanwhile, the 14th meeting of the joint working group of both the countries was also held.

Joint Secretary (North East) in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shambhu Singh led the Indian team and Additional Secretary Kamaluddin Ahmed headed the Bangladesh side.

Issues related to cross-border terrorist activities and presence of camps of insurgent groups from northeast India on Bangladeshi soil was also discussed.

The two sides also discussed the modus operandi for exchange of wanted people hiding in each other's country. India earlier sent a list of 879 wanted Indians hiding in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh hinted that they may extradite separatist ULFA leader Anup Chetia to India under a special mechanism beyond an existing extradition treaty.

A MoU on bilateral co-operation for prevention of human trafficking and rescue and rehabilitation of victims was also signed on the concluding day of the talks.