India and Bangladesh have decided to operationalise Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for transfer of sentenced fugitives. The treaty was signed during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January last year. It paves the way for extradition of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia from Bangladesh . It will also facilitate handing over of terrorists and criminals operating on each other's soil.
Addressing a joint press conference at the end of the Home Secretary level talks, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment not to allow the territory of either country for any activity inimical to each other's interests.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Monzur Hossain said that his country will not tolerate anti-India activities on its soil and gave the assurance that fugitives will be handed over to India at the earliest. He added that Dhaka was keen to further improve security cooperation with New Delhi by exploring new areas for mutual benefit of the two neighbours.
Home Secreatry R K Singh said in the past one-and-a-half years, bilateral cooperation has intensified and the two countries are keen to take it forward.
AIR Correspondent reports that the relations between the two countries are on an upswing after the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September this year.
The discussions have certainly created a congenial atmosphere for greater cooperation and better border management. In their extensive discussions, the two Home Secretaries, also decided to hasten the process of verification of nationality status of prisoners lodged in jails of either country.
This is to enable their early repatriation. The issue of menace of human trafficking along the Indo-Bangladesh border also figured prominently in the talks with the decision to have regular meeting of the two task forces for better coordination.
They also agreed to enhance cooperation in capacity building of Police and other law enforcement agencies. With the thrust on further intensifying people-to-people contact, the two sides agreed to discuss visa-related issues in the next meeting. This is bound to further cement the bilateral ties taking them to a higher level.
