From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: India may soon get the custody of the self-styled ‘general secretary’ of the outlawed ULFA, Anup Chetia who is currently lodged Bangladesh jail, in near future as the process for signing of an extradition treaty between the two neighbouring nations has commenced.
Moudud Ahmed, a member of a 12-member visiting delegation of Bangladesh MPs said here on Saturday that once the extradition treaty was finalised and signed, exchange of prisoners or other wanted persons would be facilitated between the two countries.
The Bangladeshi delegation arrived in Guwahati from New Delhi as part of their five-day visit to India and will be flying to Dhaka via Kolkata from here on December three next.
In a significant revelation, the MPs from Bangladesh informed that Government of India was yet to take the matter of ‘alleged illegal migration from Bangladesh to Assam and other northeastern “There is going to be an extradition treaty between the two nations soon and once that happens, whichever party is in power will have to abide by it,” Mr Ahmed, a representative of the country’s Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said.
He added that the treaty will enable Bangladesh to take over criminals that may have fled and taken shelter in India and vice-versa.
ULFA ‘general secretary’ Chetia’s handing over to India will also be facilitated by the treaty, he added.
The visiting MPs delegation also asserted that having uprooted militants from North East India taking shelter on its soil , Bangladesh government was firm on ensuring that the armed rebels from North East India to set up camps in their country once again.
The visiting MPs said water sharing treaties, maritime boundary and trade ties were among the important matters that need to be discussed and resolved for mutual benefits.
He pointed that the Indira-Mujib treaty of 1974 was ratified by the Bangladesh Parliament, but the Indian Parliament failed to do so.
“The current prime ministers of the two nations have signed a protocol last year. We have been assured that the Indian Parliament will discuss it soon,” he added.
Regarding infiltration issue, Bangladesh MP, Rashed Khan Menon (Workers Party) said the Government of India has not till date taken up the matter of alleged infiltration from his country with the Bangladesh authorities.
When asked whether Bangladesh accepted that illegal migration does takes place, Mr Menon said, “There is no encouragement from the Bangladesh side.”
He said, “In principle, Bangladesh does not accept that there is illegal immigration (to India).”