B’desh to beef up border security

The minister’s remarks assumes significance in the backdrop of militant groups from the North-East setting up sanctuaries in Bangladesh. India has long suspected that groups like ULFA have sanctuaries across the borders.

Addressing senior police officials here at Metropolitan Police headquarters,Tuku said: “if it can be done,they (militants,criminals) will not be able to stay here,even after their intrusion”.

It was his first interaction with the law enforcement agencies since assuming office under a cabinet reshuffle last week.

The detectives last month arrested two suspected Indian militants having links with India-based Asif Reza Commando Force and Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Bangladesh Rifles and their Border Security Force counterparts last month exchanged lists of wanted “criminals and terrorists” who are believed to be hiding or detained in each other’s territories during the meeting of their chiefs.

At the meeting here,India handed over a list of 77 of their wanted nationals while Bangladesh gave a list of 1,227 people.

The long Bangladesh-India border became porous after the February 25-26 mutiny in BDR headquarters.

Dhaka has declared that the process was underway to reorganise the “stigmatised” BDR under a new name and uniform.