bdnews24.com, New Delhi
India hopes the new government in Bangladesh will crack down not only on terrorist groups but also ensure that insurgent groups from northeast India do not find shelter in the country, the Indian prime minister has said. “We hope the new Bangladesh government will take appropriate steps to ensure that Bangladeshi soil would not be allowed for terrorist activities against India,” Manmohan Singh said on Saturday in Shillong, capital of the north-east Indian state of Meghalaya, bordering Bangladesh.
His comment comes a day after India’s new home minister P Chidambaram expressed hope with prime minister-elect Shiekh Hasina taking over the reigns, Bangladesh will make a “new beginning” by denying sanctuary to banned groups like United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
“Now we can neutralise the leadership of these banned elements which have found sanctuary in Bangladesh,” Chidambaram said.
The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has asked for more battalions of forces to curb infiltration, movement of militants and enhance management on the India-Bangladesh border.
The BSF has pointed out that only 91 km border has been fenced and work is in progress on 129 km of the 577-km Bangladesh border in Assam and Meghalaya, a portion seen as the most infiltration prone.
The BSF has blamed its counterpart Bangladesh Rifles for objecting to the fencing in 75 patches along the international border in northeast, but the Banglaesh border guards have recently allowed the work to continue in 46 places.
Recently, Chidambaram had said New Delhi was not satisfied with the progress in fencing on India-Bangladesh border and would take steps to speed up the project.
Work under phase-I of the Indo-Bangla fencing project started in 1989 and fencing was done in 854 km against the approved target of 857 km.
Phase-II involved 2429 km of the total 4,096 km long border.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
