The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Twelve Bangladeshi criminals who were arrested by West Bengal police in Kolkata would be deported to Bangladesh soon, said visiting Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Director-General Ashish Kumar Mitra yesterday.

"There are ten to twelve Bangladeshi criminals in Kolkata who were arrested by police. Cases are going on against these criminals in the courts. They will be deported soon, but the deportation is a process which takes some time," he told reporters after a courtesy call on Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday afternoon.

Sources at police headquarters said some 700 Bangladeshi criminals are now hiding in different countries, including India. They fled to India after the present caretaker government came to power in January this year. The government has been trying to bring these criminals back to the country through official level talks.

On October 7 last, the West Bengal police handed over three identified 'terrorists' of the capital Dhaka to the detective branch of Bangladesh

police through BSF at Benapole landport. They have already started disclosing sensational information about their crimes and their accomplices in police custody.

In reply to a question, the BSF Director-General said both sides decided to complete 27 development works within 150 yards from the zero-line considering the interest of the local people along the common borders.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said border management is an important component of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India.

He expressed his satisfaction at the ongoing discussions between the BDR and the BSF and hoped that this would result in agreements that

would further strengthen bilateral relations between the two neighbours.

"We are pleased that we have been able to structuralise negotiations with regard to these through more frequent meetings," said the Foreign Adviser.

Earlier, a five-day border conference between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) began at the BDR headquarters in Dhaka in the morning in a friendly atmosphere. .

BSF Director-General Ashish Kumar Mitra is leading an 18-member Indian delegation at the border conference, while the BDR Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed is leading a 22-member delegation.

BDR sources said Bangladesh and India agreed to exchange information about criminals and reached a consensus on completing development works within 150 yards of the zero-line considering the interest of the local people across the common border.

"The talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and agreement and progress were made in a number of subjects," said a source.

The conference between the BDR and the BSF are discussing a host of outstanding issues, including the killing of innocent Bangladeshis by the Indian border guards.

The conference will conclude with the signing of Joint Records of Discussions on October 29.

Among the host of outstanding issues placed on the table for sorting out are the killing, kidnapping and detaining of Bangladeshi nationals, smuggling of illegal arms and ammo, explosives, drugs and phensidyl, trespasses and push-in of Bengali-speaking Indian nationals.

Besides, demarcation of land boundary, installation of border pillars at Berubari and Singpara-Khudipara in Panchagarh district, completion of survey at undermarcated Muhurir Char, Doikhata and Lathitila, hand-over of surveyed land at Naogaon after constructing border pillars, construction of defence infrastructures, roads, barbed-wire fencing and installations within 150 yards of the zero point will also come up.

BDR sources said BSF's obstruction to construction and repairing of roads and development works on Bangladesh side along the border as well as their obstruction to cultivation in adversely possessed lands in Uttarkul and Amalshid in Sylhet District will come up during the deliberations.

The BSF delegation raises issues of committing crimes by Bangladeshi nationals inside India, infiltration, border fencing, prevention of smuggling of drugs, cattle and Indian currency, Indian lands in Shilchar sector along the Surma river and activities of Bangladeshi "fundamentalists and terrorists" in Indian territory and suspected presence of Indian insurgents in Bangladesh territory.