TIA NEWS /
India and Bangladesh today agreed to enhance cooperation on anti-terror efforts with Dhaka saying that New Delhi will be “side-by-side” with it in fighting terrorists.
The India-Bangladesh Home Minister level dialogue also amended bilateral extradition treaty to facilitate prompt exchange of each other’s wanted terrorists and other criminals.
The Bangladesh delegation was led by the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Indian delegation by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Two countries emphasized the need for speedy operationalization of three bilateral MoUs, namely, MoU between Indian Coast Guard and Bangladesh Coast Guard for the Establishment of Collaborative Relationship to Combat Transnational Illegal Activities at Sea and Develop Regional Cooperation; MoU to Prevent and Counter Smuggling and Circulation of Fake Currency Notes; MoU on Bilateral Cooperation for Prevention of Human Trafficking especially Trafficking in Women and Children; Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation and Reintegration of Victims of Trafficking signed during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh in June 2015.
Both sides emphasized the importance of effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) to enhance cooperation between the border guarding forces of the two countries and to enable them to better monitor the identified vulnerable areas with a view to preventing criminal activities, irregular movement, acts of violence and loss of lives along the border areas. Both Ministers expressed satisfaction at the finalization of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for allowing usage of Indian border roads for the construction and maintenance of Border Out Posts (BOPs) of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) as well as the use of Indian medical facilities in difficult areas along the border by BGB personnel deployed in the area.
The two countries expressed satisfaction at the regular interaction of different bilateral mechanisms including Home Secretary level talks, BSF-BGB DG level Conference, DG level meetings between Indian and Bangladesh Coast Guards, DG level meetings of the Narcotics Control Agencies of India and Bangladesh and noted that these regular exchanges helped to enhance understanding and resolve issues to mutual satisfaction. India and Bangladesh were satisfied that regular meetings between District Deputy Commissioners and District Magistrates of border districts would facilitate resolution of issues pertaining to the border areas of both countries.
“We have decided to enhance our anti-terror cooperation in all sphere. India will be side by side with Bangladesh in fighting terror,” Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said after the delegation level talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.
Asked about involvement of ISIS in the July 1 terror attack in Dhaka where 22 people, including one Indian girl, were killed, Khan said “all terrorists were home grown. There is no ISIS in Bangladesh”.
The Bangladeshi Minister said in today’s talks, activities of terror group like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh were discussed besides other groups operating in both the countries.
“There was no discussion on ISIS,” he said.
Khan also denied discussing about Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, whose sermon allegedly inspired one of the terrorists who attacked the Dhaka cafe on July 1.
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who participated the dialogue, said it was a “very good” meeting where there was not a single issue where the two sides disagreed.
“It was a very good discussion. There was no difference even in one point,” he said, adding there will be more frequent interaction between security officials of both the countries.
The meeting agreed to hold the Home Minister level talks in every two years instead of present three years, sources said.
Other issues which figured in the meeting include enhancement of security along the international border, visa, infiltration, smuggling of narcotics and cattle, etc.
Bangladeshi counter-terror officials, accompanying their Home Minister, met officials of the National Investigation Agency while officials of Border Guard Bangladesh met their counterparts of Border Security Force.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrish and Director Generals of Border Security Force and Narcotics Control Bureau participated in the talks.