From Our Correspondent
AGARTALA: The extradition treaty between Dhaka and Delhi is unlikely to be singed during the two-day Home Secretary level meeting beginning in Dhaka on Monday.
Bangladesh Home Secretary Majur Hussain who visited Akhaura Check Post to review the ongoing work of Integrated Land Port (ILP) with his Indian counterpart RK Singh told reporters here that the extraction treaty would come up for discussion in the Secretary level certainly. “It will take time to get the treaty passed by both sides”, Hussain said.
The extradition treaty is seen important as ULFA leader Anup Chetia is still in Bangladesh jail. If the treaty is signed, the Indian authority could have taken him back easily.
“Repatriation of Indian fugitives, fencing work, border management are among the top agenda of the meeting”, he said adding that the Bangladesh government had taken proactive steps against Indian insurgent groups staying there.
MHA Secretary Singh heaped praise on the Bangladesh government saying the relation between two sides has been excellent over the past few years. “The Secretary level meeting is aimed to strengthen the relation between both sides”, he said.
Singh said there has been significant improvement in tackling insurgents in Bangladesh. “The law and order situation has been improved significantly in the Northeast region over the years. Most of the hideouts were either dismantled or winded up in Bangladesh”, he said.
Singh further said, the Centre has adopted two-fold strategy to address militancy in the Northeast.
“We are ready to have talks with any outlawed group if they want and side by side the Centre will not hesitate to take drastic steps against those indulge extortion, kidnapping or killings”, he said.
On the Integrated Land Port (ILP), Singh said he had a review meeting with construction agency. “The construction agency told they would be able to build the Rs. 73.50 crore ILP by March 31, 2013”, he added.
The then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram laid the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Land Port at Akhaura Check Post to pave the way for better bilateral trade with Bangladesh on May 17, last year.
Thereafter, an agency was engaged to establish the ILP with all modern facilities by July 2012 next. However, the progress of the work is very tardy.
According to sources, only 30 percent work has so far been done at ILP at Akhaura.