News from Bangladeshr, Friday March 12 2004 14:24:02 PM BDT
NEW DELHI, March 11:-Indian Foreign Secretary Shashank on Thursday said
his country would cooperate in tackling various anti-Bangladesh groups
carryig out insurgency from Indian soil, reports BSS.
Replying to a question at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on his
retrurn from Dhaka he said in his talks with the Bangladesh Foreign
Secretary the Bangladesh side "mentioined" the issue.
Asked about the list given by the BDR DG to his Indian BSF counterpart
in Delhi in January, he said, "the list is available with India."
He also said, replying to a question, that the Bangladesh side also
raised the matter of India repatraiting some 191 'criminala and
terrorists', who took shelter in India, and wanted by Bangladesh courts.
The Bangladesh side "want some progress" in these issues, said Shashank.
We agreed to share with Bangladesh information on them" he said.
The Director General of BDR had in January given a list of these wanted
offenders as well as of camps of remaining Shanti Bahni elements to the
DG of Indian BSF in Tripura and Asam and in adjoining Indian provinces
besides three or four anti-Bangladesh groups operating from West bengal.
According to the list the remaining Shanti Bahini groups, who did not
surrender in 1998, are still carrying on armed insurgency against
Bangladesh under the banner of Jana Sanghati Samity [JSS and United
People's Democratic Front [UPDF]. These groups are carrying on sabotage
against Bangladesh in its hill districts operating from the bases in
India.
Besides, according to the list, communal tension and separatist
activities are also being carried out from West Bengal by four extremist
groups, Banga Sena led by Kali Das, Hindu Republic of Bir Banga and its
militanmt outfit Shakti Sena led by Sukumar Guhathakurtha, Banga Udbastu
Unnayan Parisahad led by Bimal Majumder and Banga Udbastu Mancha led by
Upen Biswas.
Operating from West Bengal these extremeist groups are carrying out
sabotage and anti-Bangladesh activities, said Bangladesh officials.
"The talks went off well," said Shashank referring to his meeting
with
his Bangladesh counterpart Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury.
"It was a familiriasation visit," said the new Indian Foreign Secretary.
Shashank said, "Bangladesh seemed to be keen to satisfy India's security
related concerns."
Bangladesh, he said, "also realise that all countries of South asia need
to improve cooperation in various fields including trade, economy and
security related matters."
Shashank said that Bangladesh had agreed to sign an extradition treaty
with India.
Bangladesh, he said, agreed to provide consular access to India on its
nationals, "reportedly in Bangladesh prisons, the list of which was
given by the Indian BSF Director General to his Bangladesh counterpart
in January."
He said that Bangladsesh suggested holding a meeting of the Commerce
Secretaries of the two countries in Delhi on March 30 and 31. He said
that the meeting could take place subject to availability of the Indian
Commerce Secretary at that time.
Bangladesh also suggested a Home Secretary level meeting between the two
countries in Dhaka after March 26. He said that the Indian Home
secretary has been invited for the proposed talks in Dhaka.
Shashank said that he called on Bangladesh Foreign Minister , Commerce
Minister, State Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as the State
Minister for Home.
"Besides meeting my Bangladesh counterpart," he said, he also meet
Home
Secretary and Commerce Sercetary of Bangladesh.
"Besides, at social occasions, I had the opportunity to meet other
senior officials and dignitaries of Bangladesh," said Shashank.
"I took the opprtunity to pay my regards to the Leader of the Opposition
Sheikh Hasina," he said.
Shashank said that he met the business community at an interaction
arranged by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Comerce and
Industry [FBCCI]."
Indian Extrenal Affairs Ministry Joint Secretary for
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar [BSM] desk Ms Neelam Deo, accompanied the
Indian Foreign Secretary in his visit to Dhaka.
He said he found "great interest" in the Bangladesh business circle
to
develop the level of trade and investment.
The business community of Bangladesh, he said, also wanted to know why
Indian investment in Bangladesh was not increasing.
The Bangladesh business community, he said, wanted greater access for
Bangladesh products to the Indian market to reduce the staggering trade
gap against Bangladesh.
He said that increasing trade should not be a problem under bilateral
trade agreement as well as SAFTA. He also mentioned that Bangladesh has
kept its option open to sign the BIMSTEC trade cooperation framework.
Shashank said, "Bangladesh seem to be impressed by the progress achieved
in recent times in India-Pakistan relations."
BSS