The two-day-long India-Bangladesh Home Secretary-level talks that will begin in Dhaka on Monday will see New Delhi flagging the issues of cattle smuggling, infiltration and cross-border security and management.
The talks between the delegations, headed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and his Bangladesh counterpart Mohammad Haque Khan, would involve the prevention and effective countering mechanism for smuggling and infiltration along the Indo-Bangla border, said Home Ministry officials.
According to an official estimate, smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh has come down by more than 70 per cent, resulting in a sharp increase in the price of beef in Bangladesh. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said in September that about 20-22 lakh cattle used to be smuggled every year to Bangladesh and it has come down to 2 to 2.5 lakh cattle this year.
The meeting comes days after the deportation of UlFA ‘general secretary’ Chetia from Bangladesh and subsequent deportation of one of the most wanted criminals of Bangladesh, Nur Hossain from India.
Bangladesh may raise the issue of killing of its citizens during cross-border firing by India’s Border Security Force. The BSF, on its part, has said that the firing has been the result of its attempt to curb cattle smuggling on the directions of the Centre.
Dhaka may discuss the issue of construction of border outpost near the Tripura border as agreed during the last bilateral talks between the two Home Secretaries. India had agreed to help Bangladesh to build the outpost along the Tripura border on their side. Bangladesh has sought permission to bring engineers, raw material and workers through Indian soil since the area is unapproachable from its own territory.