B’desh assures once again

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 47

April 15-30, 2008

B’desh assures once again

“We wish to state it emphatically that we will not allow Bangladeshi territory to be used by individuals or groups inimical to India.”

Assuring that Bangladeshi soil would not be allowed to be used by forces “inimical” to India, Dhaka called for evolving a system with New Delhi for timely exchange of intelligence and information. “The most important issue for us would be timely exchange of information regarding criminal activities near the border so that timely action can be initiated,” Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) chief Major General Shakil Ahmed said.

The BSF raised the issue of terrorists operating from Bangladeshi soil after probe into blasts in Uttar Pradesh pointed towards involvement of militant groups like Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islamia operating from there.

The BDR has information regarding use of Indian territory to perpetuate crimes in Bangladesh, Ahmed said adding “Information that we have today might not be valid six months later. We are trying to evolve a system to deal with the criminals as soon as they perpetuate the crime”. He said Bangladesh will not allow its territory to be used by terrorists and criminals “inimical” to India and is ready to cooperate with New Delhi on all issues.

Observing that it is important to stay one step ahead of criminals, the BDR Chief said “If we cooperate on information sharing we can achieve better results which will help in maintaining a peaceful border between the two countries”.

“We wish to state it emphatically that we will not allow Bangladeshi territory to be used by individuals or groups inimical to India,” Ahmed said.

During the conference, the BSF also raised the issue of influx of Bangladeshi nationals and constraints in fencing along the border. Smuggling of cattle, fake currency notes, weapons and narcotics were also discussed in details.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has stressed there can be no reversal to ‘excellent’ bilateral ties with India.

‘Both (Indian Foreign Minister) Pranab Mukherjee and I have worked very hard to put our relations on a trajectory from where there should be no reversal,’ Foreign Minister Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said in an interview.

‘We are continuing to negotiate on all issues of mutual interest but at the political levels we have excellent relationship,’ Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury noted that Bangladesh purchased about 500,000 tonnes of rice from India ‘at a price which we believe to be a friendship price’. However, Bangladesh Government’s soft stand towards the militant groups taking shelter in that country has become a major worry for India. Recently the BDR chief claimed that Paresh Barua is not is Bangladesh. New Delhi has not taken that remark kindly. So far Bangladesh has not put adequate pressure on the militants who are using that country to create terror in India.

The Centre, on many occasions, requested the Bangladesh Government to take action against the leaders of the anti-India forces taking shelter in that country, but till date, no such action has been taken and the attitude has not changed even after the caretaker Government assumed office. New Delhi strongly believes that the top leaders of the ULFA including its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and the commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah are still in Bangladesh, while, the ULFA is still maintaining makeshift camps in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Coxes Bazar areas.

Bangladesh is yet to hand over ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia to India after his jail term ended. When Chetia’s jail term ended in Bangladesh, a petition was filed in the court with the appeal that he should not be handed over to India. The matter is still pending before the court and though the Government of Bangladesh is claiming that Chetia was in “protective custody”. As per the intelligence reports, Chetia has been able to move freely and was in touch with the other leaders of the outfit. Intelligence inputs further suggested that Paresh Baruah visited Thailand at least twice within the last six months. It is believed that the trips were made to fix arms deals with clandestine dealers.

Not Only ULFA, but almost all the major militant groups of the North East have their bases in Bangladesh and the leaders of the outfit could operate easily from those bases. The presence of fundamentalist forces in Bangladesh also posed a grave security threat not only to North East but also to entire India as several recent fundamentalist attacks in different parts of India including the blasts in Hyderabad and Varanashi and the attack on the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, were linked back to Bangladesh. Sources said that though immediately after taking over power, the caretaker Government in Bangladesh acted tough on forces like Harkat ul Jehadi Islami (HUJI) and Jamat E Islami, Bangladesh, the pressure on these groups eased in recent times because of the reasons best known to the Bangla authorities.

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