Talks with Bangladesh

.

— The annual talks between the Home Secretaries of India and Bangladesh have just ended in Dacca with issue of pious statements from both sides but little achievement on critical issues. Bangladesh joined India in condemning terrorism in all forms and reaffirmed their commitment not to allow their territory to be used for any activity inimical to each other’s interest, while allowing the terrorists from the North East to establish training camps and safe haven in Bangladesh. The Director General of BSF, India has handed over a list of such camps to his counterpart in Bangladesh during their meet. Bangladesh feigned ignorance of existence of such camps in their territory. Both the countries have also agreed to take action against militants, insurgent outfits and their leaders on the basis of real time and actionable information to be exchanged between the nodal points. Indian authorities have furnished information on the militant leaders like Arabinda Rajkhowa and Paresh Baruah of ULFA on several occasions but the Bangladesh government has never officially admitted that these militant leaders are ensconced in Bangladesh for several years now and carrying on terrorist activities in Assam. India wanted custody of ULFA leader Anup Chetia who has already completed his term of imprisonment in Bangla Jail, but under one pretext or the other the Bangladesh government has refused to hand over Chetia to Indian authorities.

The main issue which should have received top priority in the agenda did not find mention either in the bilateral Foreign Secretaries talks or the Home Secretaries talks. The influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to the neighbouring States in India should have been discussed at the highest level. Bangladesh denied that there was influx of Bangladeshis to India, though census figures of Bangladesh confirm such influx. Deportation of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to the country of origin has become difficult in the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries. Even assuming that there are about 1 crore illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the country (figure given by Home Ministry in Parliament and retracted later), deportation of even one per cent would be difficult as the present practice was to push the Bangladeshis by one and twos stealthily at dead of night across the border. These migrants re enter India by the same route within a few days. According to information furnished in the Assam Assembly during 2001 to March 2008, 8431 Bangladeshi immigrants were identified but only 94 could be deported. Therefore unless an agreed mechanism is worked out in cooperation with Bangladesh, deportation would remain a myth and not a practicable proposition. SOURCE: ASSAM TRIBUNE EDITORIAL 06.09.08