Date:04/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060461461700.htm

National

Delhi tells Dhaka to check infiltration

Special Correspondent

JWG meets after a gap of five years

NEW DELHI: The shadow of the Jaipur serial bomb blasts loomed in the background during the two-day meeting of the revived Joint Working Group (JWG) between India and Bangladesh here last week.

As the ongoing probe into the May 13 Jaipur blasts that killed 60 people indicated links to the banned Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami (HuJI) militant outfit, New Delhi has asked Dhaka to check cross-border infiltration and launch a crackdown on anti-India elements operating from its soil.

India expressed concern over the continuous flow of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and support which the insurgent groups here get from across the border. The JWG is meeting after a gap of five years.

While the Indian side was led by Joint Secretary (North East) in the Union Home Ministry Naveen Verma, the Bangladeshi delegation was headed by Joint Secretary (Political) M. Hakim Chowdhury.

The neighbouring countries have a three-tier mechanism — at the Home Secretary level, Joint Secretary level and at the level of the heads of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) — to exchange views and information pertaining to security related issues.

Official sources said Bangladesh’s objection to India constructing barbed wire fencing on the border within 150 yards of the zero line also came up for discussion.