Bangladesh promises action against Indian insurgents

Bangladesh has promised firm action against insurgents from India's northeastern states taking shelter in the country, an Indian official said here on Thursday.

"We have handed over a list of 39 Indian insurgent camps to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). They have assured us of taking firm action against the Indian insurgents operating from Bangladesh," Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman Sushil Kumar Singh told IANS.

A four-day inspector general-level Border Coordination Conference between the BSF and the BGB concluded here at the BSF frontier headquarters on Thursday.

BSF Inspector General Sudesh Kumar, who led the Indian side, handed the fresh list to the BGB delegation led by Brig. Gen. Md. Latiful Haider.

"The list has been prepared based on specific intelligence inputs about the location of the insurgent camps in Bangladesh. Most of these insurgent camps are located at several areas in Bangladesh's Mymensing, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Chittagong Hill Tract and the Kasalong Reserve Forest," the spokesman said.

The camps included those of the ULFA, NSCN-IM, NDFB, PLA, HNLC and other rebel groups active in the northeastern states with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy and the right to self-determination.

"In the recent times, Bangladesh has acted against the Indian insurgents. This time too, we are hopeful that they would act against forces which are against India," he said.

Four northeastern states -- Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam -- share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh. The dense forests, mountainous terrain, unfenced borders and other issues make the area porous and vulnerable.

Apart from the insurgent camps, the BSF expressed concern over the frequent crimes committed by Bangladeshi nationals inside Indian territory which include poaching, illegal migration and smuggling of fake Indian currency notes.

BGB's Brig. Gen. Haider raised issues like killing, kidnapping and injuring of unarmed Bangladeshi nationals by Indian nationals in bordering areas, besides requested the logistic support from the BSF and use of Indian roads to maintain and construct the BOPs at hilly and remote areas in Bangladesh.