New Delhi pledges to step up hunt
Call for expediting extradition treaty
Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi
Bangladesh yesterday shared with India more information about the whereabouts of some killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, while New Delhi conveyed that it would intensify the hunt for the fugitives.
The issue of search for the killers of Bangabandhu was raised by the Bangladesh side at the home secretary-level talks held at Taj Man Singh Hotel, New Delhi.
Dhaka shared information about risaldar Moslehuddin, who had fired at Bangabandhu on the night of August 15, 1975, and some others in addition to information already given to India, said a senior Bangladesh official, who attended the meeting.
He said the Indian side told the visiting team that it would step up hunt for the fugitives.
The issue of Indira-Mujib land boundary agreement of 1974 also came up in the meeting. India said a constitution amendment bill for the implementation of the accord was likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of parliament beginning on August 5.
Through the amendment bill, India wants to ratify the 1974 Indira-Mujib pact for demarcation of boundaries and exchange of 161 adversely-held enclaves with a population of about 50,000 people.
While Bangladesh parliament has already approved the land boundary deal, India needs to introduce a constitution amendment bill because its implementation involves territory swap. However, for the passage of the bill India’s ruling Congress-led UPA government lacks two-thirds majority in parliament and needs the opposition support.
During the talks yesterday, both the sides discussed the modalities for implementing the extradition treaty signed by the two countries early this year. The treaty will pave the way for deportation of Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia, currently behind bars in Bangladesh.
“We are taking forward the dialogue from where it was left off. Constant cooperation between India and Bangladesh is going on,” Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim, who took part in the meeting, told reporters.
Asked when Chetia would be deported, Karim said, “The process is on. It will happen, when it will happen.”
Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the Indian home ministry Shambhu Singh said the extradition of Chetia would take some more time.
The Indian side was led in the meeting by Home Secretary Anil Goswami while the Bangladesh delegation by Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed.
On Thursday, the officials of India and Bangladesh had held a meeting of the Joint Working Group. Findings of the JWG were placed before yesterday’s home secretary-level meeting.
The issues of coordinated border management, trafficking of drugs, women and children and illegal movement also came up for discussion in the meeting.
According to officials of both the sides, a joint media briefing by the home secretaries of the two countries and a joint statement on the outcome of yesterday’s meeting is expected on Monday.
The issue of search for the killers of Bangabandhu was raised by the Bangladesh side at the home secretary-level talks held at Taj Man Singh Hotel, New Delhi.
Dhaka shared information about risaldar Moslehuddin, who had fired at Bangabandhu on the night of August 15, 1975, and some others in addition to information already given to India, said a senior Bangladesh official, who attended the meeting.
He said the Indian side told the visiting team that it would step up hunt for the fugitives.
The issue of Indira-Mujib land boundary agreement of 1974 also came up in the meeting. India said a constitution amendment bill for the implementation of the accord was likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of parliament beginning on August 5.
Through the amendment bill, India wants to ratify the 1974 Indira-Mujib pact for demarcation of boundaries and exchange of 161 adversely-held enclaves with a population of about 50,000 people.
While Bangladesh parliament has already approved the land boundary deal, India needs to introduce a constitution amendment bill because its implementation involves territory swap. However, for the passage of the bill India’s ruling Congress-led UPA government lacks two-thirds majority in parliament and needs the opposition support.
During the talks yesterday, both the sides discussed the modalities for implementing the extradition treaty signed by the two countries early this year. The treaty will pave the way for deportation of Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia, currently behind bars in Bangladesh.
“We are taking forward the dialogue from where it was left off. Constant cooperation between India and Bangladesh is going on,” Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim, who took part in the meeting, told reporters.
Asked when Chetia would be deported, Karim said, “The process is on. It will happen, when it will happen.”
Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the Indian home ministry Shambhu Singh said the extradition of Chetia would take some more time.
The Indian side was led in the meeting by Home Secretary Anil Goswami while the Bangladesh delegation by Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed.
On Thursday, the officials of India and Bangladesh had held a meeting of the Joint Working Group. Findings of the JWG were placed before yesterday’s home secretary-level meeting.
The issues of coordinated border management, trafficking of drugs, women and children and illegal movement also came up for discussion in the meeting.
According to officials of both the sides, a joint media briefing by the home secretaries of the two countries and a joint statement on the outcome of yesterday’s meeting is expected on Monday.
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