The Hindu : `Illegal immigration on both sides'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

National

National

`Illegal immigration on both sides'

By Amit Baruah

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Mohd. Morshed Khan, in New Delhi on Saturday. — Photo: S. Arneja

NEW DELHI Feb. 15. The Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Mohammed Morshed Khan, said today that the recent defence agreement between Dhaka and Beijing was not aimed at any "third country".

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Khan, who called on the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, stated that the Dhaka-Beijing defence cooperation entailed training and "things like that". The agreement was not for "purchase of missiles or anything like that".

Asked about India's stand that Pakistan's ISI was active in his country, he said that the ISI was of course present in Bangladesh, but its presence was 20 times more in India. The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) also had a presence in Bangladesh. "We don't have any technical cooperation with the ISI and the RAW," Mr. Khan said, adding that no anti-India insurgents were present in Bangladesh as per the information available with him.

No insurgents were operating with the knowledge of the Bangladesh Government, he said, pointing out that he had handed over a list of 200 Bangladeshis accused of murder and rape, who were reportedly living in West Bengal and Tripura.

Asked whether Bangladesh accepted that there was illegal immigration into India, he said that illegal immigration on both sides was a concern. "There are illegal immigrants from India in Bangladesh. We don't know the numbers." There was a need to strengthen the immigration system. Both countries would discuss these issues on a sustained, continued basis. "Without mutual trust, no relationship can be developed."

'Cannot divorce neighbour'

Asked by a Bangladeshi reporter whether he had obtained any assurance from the Indian side there would be no more "push-ins" in the future, Mr. Khan said the two countries would remain engaged to avoid the use of force on the border. Bangladesh needed to have peace at home and to work together with its neighbours. "You can divorce your husband or wife, but you cannot divorce your neighbour."

Mr. Khan said that bilateral issues between the SAARC countries should be dealt with bilaterally as specified under the Association's charter, but should not be allowed to come in the way of multilateral matters. The SAARC should be permitted to move ahead.

Till 1947, Mr. Khan said, South Asia had a common market and common currency — a goal only recently achieved by the Europeans. A poor and poverty-stricken Bangladesh could be a threat. "We have to grow in harmony."

On the Iraq issue, he said these were testing times. A war in West Asia was of great concern as there could be no winner in such a conflict. "I don't know of any country achieving peace through war."

On sale of gas to India, he said the issue should be decided commercially, not politically. The Commerce Minister, Arun Jaitley, would visit Bangladesh to discuss the trade issues. Pointing out the wide imbalance in bilateral trade, he said there was considerable illegal trade between the countries. The illegal movement of people and illegal trade were linked.

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