B'desh-India ink key protocols on security cooperation

Anisur Rahman
Dhaka, Jan 13 (PTI) Bangladesh and India on Thursday
inked three crucial protocols making effective earlier pacts
on security cooperation and exchange of prisoners of
respective countries signed during Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina’s landmark New Delhi visit last year.
"With the signing of the protocols, the three
agreements on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters, and Combating International
Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking came
into effect from today," a Home Ministry spokesman said in the
capital.
He told reporters that Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan
Sikder and Indian High Commissioner Rajeet Mitter signed the
protocols on behalf of their respective governments at the
Home Ministry.
The agreements were signed during Hasina’s maiden
India visit in January 2010.
Under the prisoners transfer agreement, Bangladeshi
and Indian prisoners serving in each others jails could be
exchanged to serve the rest of their terms in prisons of their
own country.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, however, earlier negated
the idea of extraditing jailed Indian separatist leader Anup
Chetia of ULFA under the agreement.
She had said the deal would be applied for only those
who "are willing to serve the rest of their terms in their own
countries”.
"I think the ULFA leaders will not come under the
purview of the treaty," she had said. PTI AR
RCJ