Bangladesh News and Discussion

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 17 Jan 2010 20:41

My 2 paisa -

I don't think there had been any urge around 1947 to have Chittagong as part of India.
It was/is remote, hilly, forest covered, and our 1947 babus saw little use of it. The very fact how Nehru was callous to the NE region was obvious from the fact that he didn't do
anything to prevent Syhlet from going to E. pak. Assam strongman Gopinath Bordoloi
sent SOS to Nehru telling him that train-loads of people were being brought in from
Noahkhali and other southern part to influence the Syhlet refferendum. Nehru kept
silent. For him, the NE didn't matter. Similarly, nearly 500 sq km of Tripura was given
away to then E. Pak (which is now part of Coomilla).

Anyway, history aside, Hasina's recent trip has been termed as bold by a vast majority
of intellengesia. A prominent bengali daily has gone to this far asking questions to
bangladeshis who oppose India, in so many words, as - 'BD's trade imbalance with China
is similar to, if not worse than, that with India. Yet No one raises any question about
that. We raise hecles when muslims are killed in Gujarat, yet keep quiet when muslim Uighurs are executed by the Chinese authority. How long should we keep this double standard? By preventing India's transit facility to NE region we are trying to corner the market of One and half crore prople of the NE India, but in the process we are losing the market of 100 crore of Indians. ....'

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 19 Jan 2010 09:08

The raid could be just a coincidence with Indo-Bangla test match
being playied in Chittagong city, but under the radar relentless pressure
by the Hasina govt on jihadi elements is continuing. Last Sunday's
crackdown on a den supposed to be used by Islami Chhatra-Shibir
(Jamait's student wing) came as a surprise for many. But the intel
report said that the den was actually being used as a safe house
by Hizbut Tahir for secret meetings. The raid paid a rich dividend
- a huge cache of arms and ammo was found, including 9mm
pistols bearing 'Made in Pakistan' mark. So far twelve people -
all Jamait elements - have been arrested.

archan · Post by **archan** » 19 Jan 2010 09:21

^^ Wah!
I hope the BD populace realizes that even if they don't care for India and terrorism against the Indians, this kind of weaponry in the hands of "non-state" militias can do them no good. What is happening in Pakistan is to be seen and learned from.
Such militias can easily go on hire for the highest bidder and that can turn ugly real quick. It is in BD's own interest that the only armed group within their country remains their own military.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 19 Jan 2010 09:27

increasingly, that realisation is there. unlike TSP the progressive factions are still strong in BD and they are at least fighting the extremists to a standstill if not winning.

unlike pak, BD society still has a place for irreligious political thought so the chances of a downhill race to the bottom of 'more islamic than you' ala pak is that much more unlikely.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 20 Jan 2010 00:22

IDSA COMMENT
The Cautious Handling of Secularism in Bangladesh ----- Anand Kumar
http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/TheCaut ... mar_190110

During the electioneering Awami League had promised that it would act against the war criminals. It also promised to stop misuse of religion in politics. The party has now an opportunity to fulfill this promise after the Bangladesh Supreme Court on January 3, 2010 lifted a four-year stay on the “abuse of religion for political purposes.” The apex court of Bangladesh has also endorsed the August 29, 2005 judgment of a three-judge Bench led by Justice ABM Khairul Haque which declared the Fifth Amendment to the country’s Constitution as “void ab initio and illegal”. This is a significant development in a country where Islamists have been threatening to establish their sway.

At the same time, however, it is also important to note that the government has decided to keep the words “Bismillah-Ar-Rahman-Ar-Rahim” in the preamble to the constitution and declaration of Islam as state religion. According to the Bangladesh prime minister Shaikh Hasina these things have been kept as they reflect the beliefs of the people. She also told her alliance leaders that they must accept the reality. Shaikh Hasina however was of the view that the spirit of the constitution would be restored with the High Courts verdict.

This cautious return towards secularism in Bangladesh shows the political realism of the Awami League. The party now knows that in the last several decades Islamist tendencies has grown in a section of people in Bangladesh which is not going to go away overnight. Though the party sometime back had announced certain measures to deradicalise the population, this strategy has still not been implemented. The arch rivals of Awami League always allege that Islam would be in danger if Awami League comes to power. Though there is no threat to Islam per-se in Bangladesh as ninety percent of its population is Muslim, still Awami League knows that turning the clock back is not going to be easy. Hence it has made cautious move to restore secularism while leaving Islam as state religion of Bangladesh.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 20 Jan 2010 00:26

Cops hunt for 40 Huji operatives

Still holding secret meetings, militant training
Shariful Islam

Around 40 operatives of outlawed Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (Huji) including convicted and charge-sheeted accused of different bomb attack cases are still on the run, posing a threat to the country.

Some of the absconding militants are holding secret meetings and were even training up members at a secluded place in Mohammadpur in the capital a few months ago.

However, the militants cancelled the training and abandoned the area after different intelligence and law-enforcement agencies started a hunt for them months after the present government assumed power, intelligence and Huji sources say.

The absconding Huji leaders include some of the top brasses like Mufti Shafiqur Rahman, Sheikh Farid, Maulana Abu Bakar, Abdul Hannan Sabbir, Maulana Liton, Abdul Hye, Abu Jehad, Abu Musa, Abdullah, Sagir Bin Emdad, Maulana Monir, Maulana Masum and Golam Mostafa.

Most of them have training on sophisticated weapons and grenades.

Sources in the law-enforcement agencies believe the militants responsible for deadly bomb and grenade attacks and death of over 90 people since 1999 are still a threat.

However, top officials from Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Detective Branch (DB) say since the absconding militants are on the run, possibility of any attack by them is very slim.

"There is little chance of any attack by Huji men since we are always after them," Rab Director General Hassan Mahmood Khandkar told The Daily Star recently.

DB Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam also expressed similar view on the issue.

The Rab DG said they have lists of the members of not only Huji but also other militant outfits including banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and are always after them.

Some Afghan war veterans launched the Bangladesh chapter of Huji on April 30, 1992 with an aim to establish Islamic rule in the country. Since then it spread its tentacles across the country until 1996 with the very knowledge of the then government.

After the political changeover in 2001 Huji again started its activities which were an open secret to the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government.

Probes into the August 21 attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's [then main opposition leader] life have already revealed involvement of former deputy minister of BNP government Abdus Salam Pintu and a number of Huji leaders.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is now carrying out further investigation into the cases and has already arrested BNP leader and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Huji founder Sheikh Abdus Salam.

The sources say an influential intelligence agency helped Maulana Tajuddin, who supplied grenades for the August 21 attacks, flee the country.

The sources add the agency in October 2004 also helped Hafez Jahangir Badar flee to Saudi Arabia where he became a major source of Huji funding later.

Some Huji kingpins including the outfit's founders Sheikh Abdus Salam and Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid even used to meet a section of officials of that intelligence agency during the BNP-Jamaat rule and even during the immediate past caretaker rule, say the sources.

Salam, arrested in November last year in connection with the August 21 carnage, claimed he had maintained connection with the agency and tried to form Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) with its consent during the caretaker regime.

Some 475 Afghan war veterans joined the IDP, sources say.

The attacks by Huji include the August 21 carnage in 2004, Ramna Batamul blast in 2001, Udichi blast in 1999, Narayanganj Awami League office blast in 2001, CPB rally blast at Paltan Maidan in 2001, and attempt on the then British high commissioner in 2004.

The sources say intelligence agencies launched raids on Huji hideouts to trap militant leaders including Shawkat Osman alias Sheikh Farid in vain in recent months.

Two of the Huji absconders -- Anisul Mursalin and Muhibul Mottakin -- are now in Tihar Jail in India after they were arrested by the Indian security forces in 2006.

Well done to Bangladeshi security services.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 20 Jan 2010 06:22

Stan saar: Thanks much for the info. Looking at the map and stats:

Chittagong Hill Tracts:
50% are tribal and mainly followers of Theravada Buddhism.
48% are Bengali Muslims
2% - Hindus, Christians, Animism etc.

So why were these areas not part of the initial India? I thought only districts that had more than 75% Muslims were included as part of Pakistan. The Chittagong district is the district with most plains and sea port.

In 1971, was there ever talks about some parts of Chittagong being merged back to India? Or do you think Chittagong Division is not of any strategic importance?

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 20 Jan 2010 08:45

The crackdown by the BD security services against jihadis and their Pak patrons has taken a new dimension. What hasn't happened before has started taking place.

(1) For the first time BD intel agencies are working in tandem with their indian counterparts
to disrupt counterfeit Indian currency rackets.

(2) On 28th dec the first arrest was made in this regard. A pakistani citizen was arrested
in Dhaka for puching indian currencies. Interestingly, many pak women are involved in this
particular trade. The first arrest of the ladt (called Rubina Hussain') revealed more info.

(3) Yesterday (Jan 18th) two more Pak citizens were arrested with 10 lakh fake indian currency. The quality of the bills are so high that even bank employees may have hard time to catch them.

(4) It has been gathered that there are seven to eight active groups engaged in this counterfeit currency shipments. These are called FIC (Fake Indian Currency) groups -
comprisingly mostly Pak women, and handled by their handlers in Pakistan.

(5) These FIC groups shuttle between Dhaka and Karachi (mostly), bring suitcase full of
fake indian currencies. Then these currencies are sent to India via Nepal. Lately,
due to strong vigilance along the West bengal-BD border, they are using the Nepal route
more frequently.

(6) BD intel agencies have rounded up some local BNP leaders for their involvement in this currency business.

sum · Post by **sum** » 20 Jan 2010 08:55

5) These FIC groups shuttle between Dhaka and Karachi (mostly), bring suitcase full of
fake indian currencies. Then these currencies are sent to India via Nepal. Lately,
due to strong vigilance along the West bengal-BD border, they are using the Nepal route
more frequently.

In recent time, isnt the Nepal front even more secure than the BD front given the amount of leeway our agencies have been given in Nepal?

The sources say an influential intelligence agency helped Maulana Tajuddin, who supplied grenades for the August 21 attacks, flee the country.

Why the reluctance to name the god-damn agency? Does Pak still scare BD so much that the "agency" is "he who shall not be named"?

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 20 Jan 2010 22:35

Lessons from Hasina's visit: Bhaskar roy.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 21 Jan 2010 10:00

(1) BD Govt. is keeping up its pressure on extreme elements. Seven members of
extremist "Allah'r Dal" (Allah's Party) have been arrested. More are likely to be
rounded up soon.

(2) May be Hasina is taking a leaf out of Turkey's book on handling islamists.
She has declared that govt will appoint islamic teachers to every primary school.
Also, govt will enhance the pay scale of Imams/ islamic teachers etc. It may sound
like anti secular image of AL, but it may be a good strategy by the BD govt to tame
islamic fanaticism, and put forward its own brand of liberal islamic thinking from
the grass-root level. This same approach is taken by Syria and Turkey where
islamic fundamentalism has been kept under leash. hasina said that these govy
appointed islamic teachers will propagate liberal brand of islam.

(3) Hasina's above declaration is coinciding with another important event - Turkish
prez Abdullah Gul is coming for a two day state visit to Dhaka. Important bilateral
deals will be signed. Gul is bringing in a large business delegation.

(4) BNP and Jamait are at the receiving end. Yesterday BNP has declared that they
would start a countrywide agitation against AK govt about its conspiracy to sell
the country to india. This is their only way to make their presence be known.

(5) In Sylhet's prestigious Shahajalal University of Science and Technology the
teacher's Union election has just taken place. Out of 11 seats, AL backed candidates
have wrested 10 seats. BNP-Jamait combo has bagged the lone remaining seat.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 Jan 2010 15:59

Is BAL hedging bets by sharing ports with everyone?! Do these two ports have enough capacity for four countries?

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to visit 'China' soon

Dhaka, 19 January: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit China soon to sign deals on road and rail links between Kunming and Chittagong, and the use of two seaports. "The agreement on the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports will be signed with China like India, Nepal and Bhutan," Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told journalists yesterday at the party chief's political office in Dhanmondi. Ashraf, also LGRD and Cooperatives minister, said the signing of agreement with China on the use of the ports, would make it clear that Bangladesh doesn't want to remain isolated from the rest of the world.

16 Satkhira's 7 Rifle Battalion BDR members plead guilty

Dhaka, 20 January: Sixteen BDR members of the 7 Rifle Battalion at Nildumur in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira on Wednesday pleaded guilty in the mutiny case. The confession of the border guards came while the trial of Satkhira mutiny case resumed on the third consecutive day. A three-member committee of the Special Court-1 headed by BDR Director General Maj Gen M Mainul Islam recorded testimony of three witnesses in the case before adjourning its proceeding until 9:30am(BDST) Thursday. The witnesses are Lieutenant Colonel Arif, who served as commanding officer of 7 Rifles Battalion during the mutiny, Major Reazul Islam Khan, medical officer, and Sepoy Atiqur Rahman. The deposition of witnesses in the case began on Tuesday. The trial of the accused BDR members is being held under the BDR Act.

Hasina looks to significant expansion of Dhaka city

UNB, Dhaka, 20 January: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the parliament that the government was planning to bring more areas under Dhaka City Corporation as more people were cramming into the capital everyday. In reply to a question in the prime minister’s question time, she said Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (1995-2015) was formulated for 590 square miles or 1528 square kilometers under Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha. She has said approval of detailed area plan for Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan is “under active consideration of the government”. This plan enlarges the capital by encompassing Dhaka City Corporation and Narayanganj, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Kadam Rasul, Siddhirganj and Tarabo municipalities. The prime minister has informed the lawmakers that satellite towns will be built under this plan which will be implemented in phases.

IAF offers Dhaka facilities ----- SUJAN DUTTA
http://telegraphindia.com/1100121/jsp/n ... 010187.jsp

The Indian Air Force is offering the Bangladesh Biman Bahini (Bangladesh air force) the use of its facilities to modernise and maintain fighter aircraft and helicopters, a senior defence source told The Telegraph here. In reaching out to Dhaka with an offer to help upgrade its air fleet, New Delhi is stepping into an area in which Bangladesh has been dependent mainly on China and, to a limited extent, on Pakistan, Russia and the US. Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik, currently in Dhaka on a week’s visit that began on Saturday, offered the use of Indian Air Force facilities in meetings with the chief of the Bangladesh Biman Bahini, Air Marshal S.M. Ziaur Rehman.

The IAF is understood to have offered to liaise with defence public sector company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore, to help modernise Bangladesh’s MiG-29 aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters. The IAF flies and has upgraded the two aircraft for its own fleet. HAL is engaged in upgrading India’s own MiG-29s. This is the first visit by an Indian Air Force chief to Bangladesh in more than five years. The last such visit was in 2004. But the Bangla air chief was here in April 2009. Military-to-military relations with Bangladesh have been resuscitated since the visit by the Bangladesh army chief in February 2008.

An IAF source pointed out that while Bangladesh had mostly Chinese and some American-origin aircraft, it also had a squadron of MiG-29aircraft. Nearly 70 per cent of Bangladesh’s flying fleet is aged, with the fighter aircraft being 20 years old or even more than that. Bangladesh has taken help from China and Pakistan for its A-5 and A-7 Chinese-origin aircraft. But the Indian Air Force has said that the facilities for its Mi-17 helicopters (the IAF flies the transport helicopter in large numbers), the MiG-29 and the Antonov 32 could be spared for Bangladesh’s limited air force. Bangladesh flies three AN 32s and 14 Mi-17s.

In Dhaka, Air Chief Marshal Naik has met President Zillur Rahman and was scheduled to meet Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday. He has also met the three chiefs of the armed forces. “The main focus of the visit will be on improving bilateral relations, promoting defence ties, outlining further areas of defence co-operation between the two countries and resolving pending issues through dialogue and understanding,” the air force source said.

Dhaka keen to make Penang a sister port
http://biz.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=4&id=151478
Dhaka proposed Tipai dam in ’88, says Anis Mahmud
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/0 ... ws0673.htm

"It is Bangladesh which demanded the Tipaimukh dam in 1988. I take full responsibility of this statement," Mahmood told Wednesday at a discussion meeting jointly organised by the Independent newspaper and the Centre for Foreign Affairs Studies at BEL tower in Dhanmondi. His comment backs former Indian high commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty who in September last year said that the damming of the Barak River in the northeastern India was demanded by Bangladesh. Mahmood said the Tipaimukh dam may contribute to controlling flood in downstream in Bangladesh.

"Of course, we oppose the barrage in Phulertala, in Tipaimukh's down," he said. "We oppose any water diversion by India Tipaimukh dam is a power generation project," he said. Foreign minister Dipu Moni, chief guest at the meeting, supplemented Mahmood's comment, saying the then government at the meeting (14th) of the Joint Rivers Commission in 1978 agreed with India for carrying out a joint study on construction of a water storage in Bangladesh's upstream. The dam was aimed at controling flood in the Sylhet region and in India. Main opposition BNP's de facto founder Major Gen Ziaur Rahman was in power in 1978. BNP is opposing the construction of the dam since the Awami League took office on Jan 6 last year.

Selling the Country to India? — Kh.A.Saleque
http://www.e-bangladesh.org/2010/01/17/ ... #more-2183

negi · Post by **negi** » 22 Jan 2010 03:36

Bangladesh’s knitters target India’s north east

21 January 2010, Dhaka – According to the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA), the country’s knitwear manufacturers are getting strong signals from India that it wants engage in trade. The BKMEA says that India’s north eastern states in particular should be targeted.

Fazlul Hoque, President of the BKMEA told journalists at a press conference yesterday that a Bangladesh business delegation to India had had fruitful discussions with its counterpart, who are convinced there good opportunities for business with Bangladesh. Mr Hoque was a member of the entourage of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Mrs Sheikh Hasina during her recent visit to India.

Mr Hoque said that the BKMEA had earlier received strong resistance from the Indian apparel manufacturers, but this time they had shown keen interest and had also recommended to their government that it increase the duty-free quota of readymade garments to 14 million per annum from 8 million per annum.

"The Indian retail market is as big as $27 billion's worth and it is growing at a pace of 18 per cent, and it is not possible for the Indian manufacturers to supply the commodities. We proposed them that since they need partner as far as RMG products are concerned, Bangladesh can be a good partner," Mr Hoque told reporters.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 22 Jan 2010 05:13

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... nid=122863

But now that Bangladesh has demonstrated that we are no longer hostile, it is squarely within India's interests to reciprocate and to ensure that this rapprochement continues.

...

That said, the Indians should appreciate how much the prime minister has risked to change the game with respect to the bilateral relationship. If India does not reciprocate in kind, it will miss a huge opportunity and will hand Sheikh Hasina's domestic opponents a potent weapon to use against her.

What can the Indian government do to reciprocate?

One simple step that would win good will and build confidence would be to ensure that the Indian border security force stops gunning down Bangladeshi nationals. This would be easy to implement, and signal to Bangladesh that it is a new day in India, too.

A second point of concession should be trade. Again, the cost of fully opening up India's markets to Bangladeshi businesses would be negligible, but the gains in terms of changing public opinion in Bangladesh would be incalculable.

The 250 megawatts of power and $1 billion loan for infrastructure development that have been pledged are a good start, but if the Indians really want to make inroads into Bangladeshi public opinion, BSF killings and duty-free market access are the places to start.

I think they are asking for the stars. India did remove many items from the negative list. Moreover, very few people believe that the cost of fully opening markets to Bangladesh would be "negligible"

Our neighbors have a strange strategy: They harbor terrorist groups and ask for economic favors in lieu of restraining them. Why can't they behave like honorable men/women?

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 22 Jan 2010 10:02

(1) BD Home Minister, Smt Sahara Khatun has fired a warning shot to all jihadi elements.
She said enough of these terrorist activities on BD soil. The current govt will not
tolerate any more such activities in Bangladesh. (A warning to Pakistan?) She was
responding to questions regarding the recent arrests made in Chittagong where
jamait-Islami Chhatra Shibir members were arrested and huge cache of arm has been recovered.

[Note, these three ladies, the troika - PM Hasina, Foreign minister Smt. Dipu Moni, and
Home minister Smt.Sahara Khatun have good chemistry, and they are well tuned together.]

(2) To build confidence, cooperation and contacts, BDR and BSF have agreed to
take constructive steps. In north bengal, both forces arranged for a friendly vollyball
tournament at the border. BDR won 3-2.

(3) To increase cooperation in other areas, Dhaka's Bonga Bondhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and AIIMS have signed a MoU to increase cooperation, research collaboration
and enhance exchange programs over the next five years.

(4) BD govt is mulling over overhauling family laws so that women are given more rights on family property, etc. Wellknown legal experts, academicians, and social workers held a thoughtful discussion organized by the Dhaka University's Wome and gender Studies Department. [A step away from tullibunnies!!]

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 22 Jan 2010 17:13

B'desh Rifles wants night-time ban on movement in border

Dhaka, 21 January: The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) has recommended imposing night-time restrictions on the movement of Bangladeshis within 150 yards of zero point inside the Bangladesh territory aimed at stopping the killing of innocent people in the border by India’s Border Security Force. The Bangladesh border force in a report sent to the home ministry in the first week of January has also recommended formation of committees with public representatives in bordering villages. The BDR personnel and the proposed committees will identify the places where restrictions should be imposed, the report said.

Satkhira mutiny trial adjourned till 21/3

Dhaka, 21 January: The trial of BDR mutiny of 7 Rifle Battalion at Nildumur in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira was adjourned till 21 March with the deposition of five witnesses on Thursday. The court so far took depositions of 15 witnesses since Tuesday. On Wednesday, 16 BDR jawans of the battalion admitted their involvement in the BDR mutiny on 26 February last year and begged for mercy in writing before BDR Special Court-1. A three-member committee of the Special Court-1 headed by BDR Director General Maj Gen M Mainul Islam recorded the statements of the witnesses at the makeshift court at 41 Rifles Battalion headquarters. The trial of the accused BDR members is being held under the BDR Act. As per BDR law, the accused cross-examined the prosecution witnesses with the assistance of a BDR officer and a lawyer. The court appointed advocate Zahid Hossain to assist the accused during the trial.

SATP:

PBCP-Janajuddha ‘regional leader’ shot dead in Pabna District

A ‘regional leader’ of the Janajudhha faction of the Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), identified as Makbul Hossain, was shot dead at village Lakhmipur Charpara area under Ataikula Police Stationin in Pabna District on January 21, reports Daily Star. Police said that rivals shot dead Makbul in the early morning.

Separately, Rajshahi Police arrested two cadres of a newly formed militant group Abbu Bahini at Rayapur village of Hamirkutsa union under Bagmara sub-district on January 17. Arms were recovered from their possession. The arrestees were identified as Majnu and Shahin Alam. The group was formed under the leadership of one Ibrahim of Natore town. Lately, militants were recruiting the teenagers for their group and planning subversive activities like murder and extortion, said the officer in charge of Bagmara Police Station.

Further, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the night of January 20 recovered five locally made bombs, a pipe-gun and two bullets from Railway Colony camp in the Rajsahi city's Boalia area. None was arrested as the arms were left abandoned, said Major Anwar, Commanding Officer at the RAB camp.

Indo-Bangla team starts surveying Mongla, Chittagong Port
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/0 ... ws0873.htm

A joint team of India-Bangladesh started surveying Mongla and Chittagong ports. The team using a BIWTA vessel left Narayanganj on Tuesday and reached Mongla via Barisal on Wednesday noon. A press briefing would be arranged in this connection at foreign ministry on Saturday, sources said. It is gathered from a reliable source that the purpose of the survey is to discover means of best use of river transit through Bangladesh as per recently signed joint communiqué. Manwar Hossain, Secretary of BIWTA and a Member of the team, told the local journalists that Bangladesh team had representatives from the foreign, the shipping and the water resource ministries led by Abdul Malek, Chairman BIWTA. On the other hand, Prodip Kumar, Member (Finance) of Inland Waterways Authority, headed the Indian team. The Bangladesh team leader added that the team was viewing the practical situation of Bangladesh rivers flowing from India as well as Dhaka and Narayanganj river ports.

BIWTA Chairman Abdul Malek said that the joint team visiting to update the survey report conducted in 2007 for developing navigability of the rivers, assisting capital dredging attempts in important points of Bangladesh waterways. Bangladesh sought cooperation in this matter last year which got good response from the Indian authority, he explained. The team visited Bamnir Char, Ghashiakhali, and Naya Mangol Channel and will also visit Mongla-Raimangol, Harding Bridge at Paksey, Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge at Sirajganj, and Rajshahi-Aricha river route, Sirajganj- Doikhawa, Gopalganj-Haridaspur boarder and other routes and different channels on Meghna-Sandhya-Mongla routes.

Manwar Hossain, further said that the dredging on Meghna-Sandhaya rtivers purposes to keep at least 12 feet deep in the rivers round the year to ensure smooth sailing of water transports without touching Barisal port for saving time and fuel cost in connecting Mongla-Chittagong ports. Capital dredging in these routes and points will also ease the internal water transportation of Bangladesh, except using the routes for future transit to India. It will remove at least three crore cubic meter silt at the cost of about one thousand crore taka, he explained.

Joint survey team visits disputed land
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/0 ... ws0877.htm

A joint land record and survey team from Bangladesh and India visited the disputed 1000 hectares of land and three pillars on Tepathazribari and Kharibari union. It is learnt that India constructed a barrage 65 kilometres upstream of Greater Teesta Project and it changed the course of the river. As a result, a shoal emerged at Jharsinhheswar area in Chhatnai union under Dimla upazilla in Nilphamari district where the Bangladeshis built houses to dwell since it was within the territory of Bangladesh. Union council Chairman Khairul Khanam claimed that the area belonged to Bangladesh but the BSF illegally demolished the settlements and took under their control. Since then, discord between Bangladesh and India was going on. Md. Rafiquil Islam led Bangladesh team while Dipankar Roy Chowdhury led the Indian team.

Govt plans to list Razakars
http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=151677&cid=2

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 22 Jan 2010 18:23

^^^^^
Actually BD Govt plans to make a master list of ALL members/ known sympathizers
of Razakaars, Al badr, and other sundry jihadi elements. (probably it'll be shared
with friendly countries.

)

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 22 Jan 2010 21:31

^^Thanks for the inputs chaps!

3 held in Dhaka with fake Indian currency
Headlines Today Bureau

Two men, who were carrying Pakistani passports and fake Indian currency worth Rs 10 lakh, were arrested during a raid on a hotel in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Police has arrested three people, including two Pakistanis, for allegedly pumping fake currency into India.

The arrests are being seen as a second blow to Pakistan's ISI after RAW outsmarted it and nabbed top HuJI commander Abdul Khwaja.

The two men, Mohammad Danish and Sabbir Ali, were arrested during a raid on a hotel in Dhaka. They were carrying Pakistani passports and fake Indian currency worth Rs 10 lakh.

Danish belongs to Lahore while Ali is from Karachi. A Bangladeshi woman, Fatema Akhter Opi, was also arrested. She is believed to be Danish's wife.

While the three have denied all charges, police said they were part of an international gang of smugglers using Bangladesh as a transit for smuggling fake Indian currency.

The three, according to police, made several visits to Nepal, India and Pakistan over the last three years.

Police suspect the gang also helped fund the Lashkar-e-Taiba's terror activities.

sum · Post by **sum** » 22 Jan 2010 21:35

Two men, who were carrying Pakistani passports and fake Indian currency worth Rs 10 lakh, were arrested during a raid on a hotel in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Police has arrested three people, including two Pakistanis, for allegedly pumping fake currency into India.

Since two of the turds are Paki, they cant be brought back to India. So, BD keeps them?

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 23 Jan 2010 05:52

^^^^^
If the situation so demands, then these Pakis will "enter India at some border post" and
they will be promptly "arrested by BSF for possessing fake indian currency". Right now
a good number of MI, WB CID, IB, RAW and G-branch personnel are coordinating matters
with their BD counterparts. As long as they divulge info for a greater cause, it doen't
matter where they are lodged right now - India or BD.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 23 Jan 2010 11:12

1. Two hardcore elements of JMB (Jamaat-ul Mujahidin Bangladesh) have been arrested.
Police had kept a close watch on them for quite some time. Apart from jihadi
literature, DB (detective branch) has recovered a list of other JMB members from
the arrested duo.

2. The three elements of the FIC (fake indian currency) group arrested recently from
a Dhaka hotel have given their testimony in front of a judge. They have named their
pak handler who is in pakistan. These members have been running the FIC operation
for several years, handling crores of rupees. Based on their info DB has arrested
another FIC group member (Zahid Hossain) from Dhaka.

3. Student arm of AL = Chhatra League; student arm of BNP = Chhatra Dal; student
arm of Jamait = Islami Chhatra Shibir (Shibir, in short). Lately, Chhatra league
has swept all college / univ campuses, and have kicked out Chhatra dal and Shibir
members. Much more than Chhatra dal, Shibir is very well organized, resourceful
(with generous funding from gulf + ISI), and extremely dedicated (similar to
young communists of USSR). In most of the major univs, just outside the campuses,
Shibir rents and runs their own private hostel/mess-hall. They try to lure
incoming freshmen to reside in their (Shibir's) free of cost, and provide free
text books, etc. They pry on economically challenged, yet meritorius students,
and once they accept Shibir offer of free lodging, slowly they are cultivated
into Shibi'r /Jamait's agenda. This has been going on for quite some time.
Chhatra league and Shibir are having running frictions pretty much in all
campuses.

4. About making a master list of Razakars, Al badrs and other traitors - AL's
senior leader Smt Begum Sajeda Choudhury has declared in a press conference
yesterday that the list is an utmost priority. It should have been made back
in 1972. But in the last three decades many of the traitors have changed their
color, and now call themselves as freedom fighters. But it'll not deter the
govt, and the master list will be made from the grass-root level. It'll start
from, village level, then block level, and higher up. Even within each village,
the govt will go from neighborhood to neighborhood, Mohalla to Mohalla, to make
sure that the list is done properly.

5. International highway connecting Dhaka and Agartala has started operating
again after some maintenace work. It was closed for a week for road work.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 23 Jan 2010 12:46

The very least Yindia could do is to have an enormous museum + memorial built in Dilli to the 1971 BD liberation war with branches sprouting in Kolkata and Dhaka.

The memorial in particular would document the atrocities committed by the uniformed pak fauj on a hapless people and also by the nonuniformed Pakis of BD - the Jamaat and their razakar goons.

Razakar lists, names addresses and blacklists should be putup on public display for posterity.

Invite all manner of artistes, performers, writers, poets, dance-drama clubs et al to let loose on paki terror.

Then invite Sheikh Hasina to inaugurate the memorial and museum. The moolah being wasted on Aman ki ayesha could've been much better spent on publicizing this important event in our national lives.

The time is now to consolidate the growing, mutually beneficial friendship between BD and Yindia. The iron is hot, strike now dammit!

"whew!" But....I whistle in the wind, seems like. GoI couldn't care less, am sure. Our babucracy isn;t exactly reknowned for imagination perhaps. chalta hai, chalne do. Jai Ho.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 23 Jan 2010 20:06

^^^^^
Museum is already there (Segun Bagicha, Dhaka).
http://www.liberationwarmuseum.org/

Yes, branches can be opened up in Delhi and Kolkata
(near BD HC, Dy-HC). That's a good idea. We should send
this proposal to GoI and GoBD. I'll do my part.

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 23 Jan 2010 20:49

Yangon accepts Dhaka's basis for settling sea boundary dispute

Dhaka, Jan 23 (DPA) Yangon has in principle accepted Dhaka's offer to settle their dispute over a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal on the basis of equity, a top Bangladeshi official said Saturday.

The lack of a clear boundary caused tension between the two neighbours over offshore hydrocarbon exploration in the Bay of Bengal in 2008.

Myanmar and Bangladesh resumed talks on maritime boundary demarcation in 2008 after a gap of 22 years, but failed to resolve the dispute.

Bangladesh and Myanmar had Jan 9, 2010 agreed to strike a balance between the principles of equity and equidistance to resolve their long-pending maritime border dispute in the Bay of Bengal.

'This is for the first time Myanmar accepted our proposal to settle the dispute based on the principle of equity; they (Myanmar) have earlier been pursuing only the theory of equidistance to demarcate the sea boundary,' Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Mohamed

Mijarul Quayes told a press briefing Saturday.

Bangladesh turned to the United Nations Arbitration Court in October last year for resolving the disputes over maritime demarcation in the Bay of Bengal with both Myanmar and India.

Bangladesh, however, kept open the option of bilateral discussions to settle the disputes.

'We will pursue two-prong approach - bilateral discussion as well as UN arbitration - for delimiting the maritime boundaries with India and Myanmar,' the foreign secretary said.

He added that Bangladesh would prefer for amicable settlement through bilateral discussion with both the countries.

Their earlier dialogue has taken place against the backdrop of movements of warships in the Bay by both the countries following Myanmar's alleged intrusion into Bangladesh's territorial waters for oil and gas exploration.

The tension was defused through diplomatic efforts initiated by Dhaka as both sides agreed that neither of the sides would pursue oil and gas exploration in the disputed areas of the mineral-rich bay until their boundaries are demarcated according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 23 Jan 2010 21:02

^^^^^
Something is not mentioned in that maritime boundary dispute.

Bangladesh is feeling the urgency to settle maritime border disputes with Myanmar
and India. Conoco signed contracts with BD counterparts to explore energy in deep
waters. But recently they mentioned that as long as the disputes are there they
are NOT going to explore in those areas. That came as a shock since this wasn't
mentioned when the bilateral agreements were signed. On the other hand, BD wants
to find a oil reserve desperately to give its economy a strong leg.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 24 Jan 2010 06:57

A depressing read, but a read that everyone keen on the border issue has to make at some time....

Border management: Dilemma of guarding the India-Bangladesh border, N. S. Jamwal, Commandant in the Border Security Force (BSF), Strategic Analysis, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 5-36, Jan./Mar. 2004.

Problems of Border Management

One of the problems of border management is the myopic view about the BSF being synonymous with border management. Other issues that are of concern in border management include the following:

• Porous nature of Border — Wide inter-BOP gap in the face of dense population residing near the boundary, allows free movement of nationals including criminals, of both the countries. This problem gets severely compounded in the riverine and jungle areas where patrolling is difficult. Withdrawal of the forces for other duties (counter-insurgency operations, election work for prolonged period), further worsens the problem.

• Difficulty in Identifying Bangladeshi Nationals — Indians of the bordering states and Bangladeshis look alike, speak the same language (Bengali and/or Assamese), wear the same dress and have similar set of cultures and traditions, thus making it difficult to identify a Bangladeshi national in the absence of identity cards in the border areas. Connivance of the locals with infiltrating Bangladeshis — for a payment — makes the task of detection more difficult.

• Passive/Indifferent Attitude of Border Population—All border crimes take place in an organised manner. The population residing in the border areas is either dependent on the kingpins or are scared to speak against such criminals. This sometimes happens due to indifferent attitudes of the administration where some of them are also part of the nexus.

• Over-population in the border areas: Density of population in the border areas at some places is approximately 700-800 persons per square km on the Indian side and about 1,000 persons on the Bangladesh side.Such an over-populated area with a porous border poses problems in detection and apprehension of criminals who have the option of crossing over to the other side to evade arrest. Since many villages are located so near the border—there are approximately 187 villages in South Bengal where houses are located within 150 yards of the international border — the density of population is far more than the rest of the country. It has also been observed that some children of such villages study in Bangladesh.

• Deportation of Bangladeshi nationals — Bangladeshi nationals caught on the border or in the interior areas are to be deported back to Bangladesh. Certain problems arise in their deportation, such as nonreceipt of lists from state police organisations in advance of the persons to be deported, state police forces bringing in the Bangladeshi nationals without waiting for confirmation, no response from BDR after handing over of the list, lack of awareness of rules and procedures on the part of state police officials at junior levels, and so on, resulting in mishandling of the issue. The problem of feeding the apprehended Bangladeshi nationals and accommodating them till they are deported is an issue that causes serious administrative problems.

• Fencing — The primary aim of fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border was to check the ingress of criminals, prevent smuggling and provide a sense of security to the border population. There are wide gaps as fencing is not complete. This is due to slow progress in acquisition of land, resistance by the locals, flaws in conceiving the project and lack of sincerity. The fencing however, has not resulted in curbing the menace to significant degree. By itself, the fencing is not a barrier. It can be effective only when it is vigorously patrolled and kept under surveillance round the clock. The terrain, climatic conditions, dense vegetation, improper design and alignment without taking into consideration the traditions and culture of the border population, has further led to its repeated breaching. The BSF, deployed to guard the border, is stretched too thin along the border,
resulting in large unmanned/unguarded gaps, which are exploited by the criminals.

• Extensive rainfall results in large stretches being waterlogged, dense vegetation and undergrowth immediately after the monsoon. This has severely affected the fencing which got rusted and damaged within a few years of its commissioning. Moreover, there are many villages between the fencing and the international boundary, where people are in collusion with the criminals, making detection of illegal migrants and criminals difficult. Fence has also resulted in virtually giving away the land lying between the fencing and the International Border to Bangladeshi criminals.

• Cutting of barbed wire by smugglers — Smugglers have invented a very ingenious way of dealing with the security forces who try to obstruct their activity — by cutting the barbed wire. Barbed wire spreads over a longer distance and passes through no man's land which may not be under direct observation of security forces. Since a breached wire invites disciplinary action against the respective commanders and troops, smugglers resort to such acts to force commanders either to connive with them or face the consequence of an inquiry for dereliction of duty.

• Criminal-Administration-Police Nexus — The trans-border crimes in the border regions flourish due to the connivance and close nexus of the criminal-police-administration triumvirate. It has been found in certain cases that before the illegal migrants enter India, certain important documents like ration cards, gas connection papers, etc., showing them as Indian citizens are all prepared and handed over to them to allow them escape detection on the border. These illegal migrants are then helped to reach any part of this country, including crossing over to Pakistan if required. A glaring instance of connivance can be seen from the fact that the cattle smuggled from India to Bangladesh reach the Bangladesh border from places as far as MP, UP, Bihar, Orissa, etc., on the basis of fictitious documents and bribing the officials at respective checkpoints.

• Change of Profile of Border Areas — Continuous influx of illegal migrants has resulted in a change of profile of the border areas. Mosques and madrassas have come up in border areas, Bangladeshi dress and culture is visible in the border belt and one can see a perceptible difference in the demographic profile compared to as it was 10 years ago.

• Criminals in Enclaves — Enclaves pose a problem of a peculiar nature. Since police cannot enter the enclaves, the local heads act as per their whims without attracting any retribution from either country. People from Indian enclaves in Bangladesh have already migrated to India — either due to sale of their land or to escape persecution. Bangladeshi criminals are taking shelter in these enclaves.

• Cheap Labour — It is a win-win situation for the labour as well as the contractor in India. Bangladeshi labour can be hired at cheaper rates and also it is profitable for them to work in India due to the wages they earn in Indian rupees (the value of Indian rupee being more than Bangladesh taka). There are many places where Bangladeshi labour comes to India, e.g., Karimganj in Assam, Agartala in Tripura.

• Circuitous International Boundary — The international boundary follows a non-linear pattern. It passes through villages, fields, houses, rivers, and jungles in an uneven manner and at places forms big loops. If one is to follow the proper route along such loops, it is timeconsuming. The pattern of demarcation is so tedious that people in the border areas find it tempting to trespass and violate the international border as shortcuts.

• Public Distribution System (PDS)—Border areas on the Indian side are covered under the public distribution system whereby items like sugar, wheat, rice, etc., are made available to villagers at subsidised rates. The PDS shops are normally located in the rear and the items are sold to the villagers either in the godowns or the local salesmen carry the items to the villages near the boundary according to the population of the villages. While carrying such items the courier normally shows a chit to the BSF officials, mentioning the quantity being carried in a particular trip, if questioned. Invariably, such couriers make a number of trips in a day, distributing rations exceeding the quantity required for the village population. The excess quantity so carried is smuggled across the boundary at night or when the opportunity arises. The PDS chits in possession of the courier specifies the amount of the item but it does not mention the number of trips a courier has to make, resulting in a person making many trips and selling rations to Bangladesh.

• Relations Across the Boundary — Radcliff's scalpel at the time of partition left many people with relations stranded on other side. It did not matter initially to the people as the borders were virtually porous and they could visit each other freely. Due to laxity they continued to enter into marriage alliances subsequently and nurtured the relations to the extent of settling down, particularly in Assam. With the tightening of control on the border it became more and more difficult, yet the efforts continue till date to go and meet the relatives across the border.

• Limitation to Applicability of Law of the Land—Indulgence in transborder crimes like cattle lifting, dacoities, kidnapping, crossing over of undertrials/criminals, trafficking of women and children have become a phenomenon and a way of living because the law of the land ceases to apply after a person crosses over to the other side. Criminals have entered into an understanding to provide shelter to each other in their respective countries to avoid legal proceedings.

• Poaching of Natural Resources — Citizens of both countries indulge in poaching of natural resources that are found near the boundary like wood, bamboo, limestone, etc. Bangladesh does not have stones to carry out construction work; the stones are found in India and smuggled to Bangladesh.

• Cultivation in Adverse Possession Land — Cultivation in adverse possession areas invites aggressive reactions from the other side and creates tension in the relations of the border guarding forces. An incident of April 2001, where about 16 BSF persons were killed by Bangladeshis, had its origin from one of the adverse possession areas.

• Char Lands — Char lands are the areas that emerge in riverine border
areas as the rivers change their course due to floods. People (who come first) occupy and settle in these char lands leading to claims and counter-claims. The problem is alive in Dhubri district of Assam where the Brahamputra crosses to Bangladesh forming char lands.

• Missing Border Pillars — Border pillars show the alignment of the boundary on the ground. There are various types of border pillars like main, minor, and subsidiary. These pillars sometimes get stolen or removed by criminal elements with a view to create tension on the border or nibble ground.

• Firing Across the Border—Though not as intense as on Indo-Pakistan border (J&K), both Indian and Bangladeshi troops resort to firing across the International Border at the slightest provocation, causing tension and problem of management.

• Lack of Development — The produce in the border areas does not find any market on the Indian side for want of communication facilities, and the items produced are of a perishable nature. So, the Indians have to perforce resort to selling it in Bangladesh. But, in case of the Meghalaya border, the boundary lies on the foothills towards Bangladesh whie the plains are in India where the vegetables, etc., produced, are consumed by Indians.

• Legal Constraints — Some of the legal constraints involved in the management of the India-Bangladesh border are:

Ambiguity of Jurisdiction on the Border—The jurisdiction of border guarding forces differs from border to border. There is no clear-cut demarcation regarding the jurisdiction. In some cases the jurisdiction extends to 5 km and in other cases, it is 15 km and in some states like Meghalaya in the entire state, this results in confusion among the forces.

Lack of Judicial and Law Enforcement Infrastructure — It has been observed in border areas especially in the North-East that the local administration is virtually non-existent. The presence of local police is also grossly inadequate. Often, only a constable may be available at the outpost. This causes complete breakdown of the law enforcement mechanism as in the case of any crime, it takes very long to activate the law enforcement machinery. Lack of this facility with no budgetary provision to feed the arrested Bangladeshis results in their being jostled between BSF and police customs. Absence of other infrastructure like telecommunication network, absence of vehicles with the police, inadequate staff, ambiguous laws, and poor road network, are also severe constraints for the border guarding forces.

In the North-East criminals make use of women and children as carriers in smuggling, as lookouts, etc. There is no woman police available on the border as a result of which no woman or child can be detained. This is fully exploited by the criminals. The women also take advantage of the fact that strict action is taken against the security forces in case of any report against them for ill-treating women. The women also exploit this by leveling false allegations against the security forces who are reluctant to get involved in apprehending any woman or child for fear of being reported against by them. The long inquiries, which follow after such allegations, are a source of immense stress to the security forces.

Non-availability of Witnesses — It is very difficult to get any local to testify in court against any criminal, as a strong bond exists amongst the people in the border areas. Most of the people are involved in some way or the other in one illegal activity or another. This affinity forces them to side with the criminals and extend no help to the security forces.

Easy Exit Across the Border — The criminals make full use of the porosity of the border. They are known to cross over after committing a crime and find refuge in sympathisers and relatives till the pressure of the law eases on them.

Loopholes in the Legal System — The legal system has several loopholes, which are fully exploited by the criminals. For example, in case of a claimed seizure the BSF is required to produce the person from whom the contraband has been recovered, before the Customs in case the seizure is to be termed as claimed. When this is done the Customs officials confiscate the goods and release the criminal, as the offence does not warrant his detention under the Customs Act. In case the man is handed over to the police, the seizure becomes unclaimed. Similarly, in case of illegal border crossing, the intruder is apprehended by the BSF and handed over to the police. The individual is released at times, the same or the next day by the police and pushed back.

Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act — In Assam where the IMDT Act exclusively applies, major political parties have different views over the efficacy of this Act. While one wants it to continue, another wants it abrogated. Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), who have all along sought the abrogation of the Act to check the infiltration from Bangladesh also want to remove IMDT from the statute book. As opposed to the Foreigners Act, under which law enforcement agencies can declare a person as a foreigner (the Act gives judicial powers to police in the matters of detection and deportation of alleged foreigners), the IMDT Act affords such a person an opportunity to defend himself, thereby placing on the police the onus to prove him wrong and to allow the cases of infiltration to pass through judicial scrutiny. It may be recalled that in November 1998 Lt. General (retd) S.K. Sinha, the then Governor of Assam, recommended repeal of the Act, in a letter written to President of India and asked for replacement of the Act with a new legislation which can detect illegal migrants in a "just, fair and expeditious manner."

Border Guidelines — Consequent to the Indo-Bangladesh Border Agreement of 1974, the Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines 1975 for border authorities were framed for the border guarding forces of both the countries. The aim of these border guidelines was to ensure cooperation between both the border guarding forces over trans-border crimes and exchange of information and intelligence at appropriate levels. These guidelines, among other issues, also provide that neither side to have any permanent or temporary border security forces within 150 yards on either side of the International Border, and no defensive works of any nature including trenches in the stretch of 150 yards on each side of the boundary. Under this provision, Bangladesh objects to the construction offences within 150 yards from the International Border on the pretext that fencing violates the guidelines. It even objects to construction of roads within this distance on the same pretext.

Conclusion

Without peaceful borders with its neighbours, India can hardly play its legitimate role in global affairs at this time of seminal global change. Since borders are with neighbours and neighbours are people, we have to take into consideration the people and the state when we talk about borders and its management.

The Indo-Bangladesh border is a long one and heavily inhabited and the inhabitants have a common history of growth, culture, language and rich heritage. Today, most of the problems are the manifestation of this fact. The problem of border management on this border is not just one of securing the borders but of doing so without causing harm to the economic interest of the people, long dependent on mutual trade and various other forms of interdependence. Being on the extreme corner of the country, the border areas have remained underdeveloped and were economically and politically ignored for a long time. The negligence by the mainland forced the people of the border area to indulge in and depend on the traditional systems for their survival and this gave rise to cross-border movements.

To integrate the border with the mainland, economic and infrastructure development of the border areas must be done. It is also equally important to ensure political satisfaction of the border people, provision of adequate security, closing the cultural and communication gaps between the border people and the national mainstream and developing friendly relations with their border people. Though, a lot has been done, much more remains to be done.

It would be in the interest of both the nations to streamline and institutionalise the movement of people by issuing work permits and identity cards to migrants. Such people should go back after the expiry of the term. Contractors employing such labour should also remain accountable for movement of labour so employed. Detection of illegal migrants by the BSF should also be upgraded through computerisation and fingerprinting. To check inflow of illegal migrants, armed intruders and illegal trade, particularly cattle smuggling, trafficking of women and children, the completion of fencing should be expedited.

Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines —1975 for the border guarding forces be revised as some of its provisions have become irrelevant. Bangladesh needs to be told that fencing and roads along the border do not pose any security threat to them. Rather, it is an economic loss to India as a minimum of 150 yards of our fertile land and people between fencing and the International Border are virtually at the mercy of Bangladeshi criminals.

That these guidelines were framed at a time when trans-border crimes, illegal migration and movement of armed insurgents across this border were virtually non-existent. Over the years many changes have taken place along the border including the demographic profile and movement of armed insurgents (despite these border guidelines). Many villages (built up areas) already existed and many came later within 150 yards of the International Border. Bangladesh's objection of not allowing the fencing and construction of roads along the International Border under the cover of these border guidelines, is illogical and lacks merit, as fencing poses no security threat to Bangladesh. Actually, fencing should accordingly be extended up to the boundary line.

Similarly, illegal trade due to differences in tariffs and trade restrictions has given rise, to vested interest groups who benefit by indulging in smuggling. The earlier a mechanism is set to open and liberalise the border trade the better it would be for the economy of the border areas and both the countries. Domestic reforms are required to address policy distortions in the public distribution systems to check informal trade.

Over the years, in order to cater to the growing demand for security forces to meet the threat to internal security, particularly in the North-East, Jammu & Kashmir and earlier Punjab, the BSF has been taken away from the Bangladesh border and deployed elsewhere, leaving this border porous and prone to cross-border infiltration. Increase in population along the border areas has further complicated the problem and has also increased the requirement of additional BSF personnel. Thus, even after restoring the BSF personnel who were withdrawn for operations elsewehere, considerable augmentation of the forces is required. Each BSF battalion should guard an area not more than 40 km. A total of approximately 100 units would be required for guarding the entire border effectively.

In border management, some other agencies are also involved in addition to the BSF. These agencies should play an active role in strengthening the basic infrastructure on the borders like police outposts, communications,
roads, legalising border trade as per local traditions, issue of identity cards to the border population, providing employment to local youth, simplification of legal procedures, strengthening the local legal bodies, and so on. These measures would augment the efficiency of the BSF and also make law enforcement more effective. The BSF by virtue of being present along the boundary through-out the year, also feels the pulse of the population. It can not only develop cordial relations and inculcate the sense of security among the population but also bridge the gap between the public and government machinery, if civil authorities responsible for development of the border areas are put under the supervision of the BSF as part of the BADP.

The IMDT Act has not served the purpose of detecting and deporting illegal migrants from Assam. The futility of the provisions of this Act stands substantiated by the fact that after more than 15 years of this Act conning into force, only a handful of Bangladeshis against whom action could be taken, are in Assam, a state worst affected by illegal immigration that saw agitations due to this problem. It needs no emphasis that this Act only helps Bangladesh in denying that there are any Bangladeshis in India. The IMDT Act should be repealed and all illegal immigrants should be dealt with under the Foreigners Act as applicable throughout the country.

Insurgent camps in Bangladesh are a cause of worry for India. Insurgents supported by the ISI and the fundamentalist parties are a deadly combination for activities against India. Western countries and international agencies are to be prevailed upon to link the foreign aid and donations to Bangladesh with the dismantling of terrorist training camps in a fixed time-frame. There is every possibility of some of the aid being utilised for promoting terrorism by the fundamentalist parties who are part of the government, not only against India but other nations as well. One of the tasks for the BSF is to inculcate a sense of security amongst the border population. This means putting an end to trans-border crimes and defending the border population in case of a threat from across the border.

As long as there is no mutual trust between the border population and the BSF, it cannot be achieved. BSF needs the people's assistance for identifying and apprehending the trans-border criminals and illegal migrants. BSF personnel, by virtue of their operational requirements, are rotated after two/three years. These troops come from different parts of the country and hardly understand the language and culture of the border areas. As such, there always remains a gap between the force and local people. By the time the BSF gets into the grid of intelligence gathering and understands the local conditions, they are due for rotation and a vacuum is created. The population has to be used as a force multiplier. A continuous liaison with the population is inescapable. It is recommended that locals of the border areas be recruited in the BSF who maintain continuity particularly for intelligence gathering and better integration. These people should remain in the area even when the units move out and they stand posted in the new unit.

Last, but not the least, the morale and motivation of those guarding the borders has to be ensured in terms of welfare, incentives and promotions. These men work under the most trying conditions, in inhospitable terrain, remain away from their families throughout the year and are under constant mental stress. If these men are not motivated, no amount of instructions and measures towards border management will yield the desired results.

Airavat · Post by **Airavat** » 24 Jan 2010 11:27

x-post from TSP thread:

Bangladeshi writer Shazia Omar responded by saying that India was a cultural hegemon and that it was a challenge to create “our own space”.

Shazia Omar: world known nothing about Bangladesh

Born in Dhaka, she spent the first ten years of her life in Saudi Arabia, then moved to Canada and went to college in the United States. She spent some time as an investment banker in New York, before the thirst for travel took her to Africa and India. Later, a Master’s at LSE in social psychology followed. Her debut novel, set in contemporary Dhaka. “It’s quite unlike the image you get of Bangladesh in news reports,” she says. “Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, the obsessions of the young, are as true for Dhaka as anywhere else.”

Does what happened to Taslima Nasreen make every writer in Bangladesh fearful and anxious? “It is an unfortunate and frightening aspect, but one of the responsibilities as a writer is to tell the truth and stick by it.” Five minutes remain, and time for a quick, final question. What is the one thing she envies about India? “Women’s independence and mobility,” she says once again, and then she’s gone.

Muns · Post by **Muns** » 24 Jan 2010 20:13

Hindu deity demolished in Bangladesh :

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/442/hindu-de ... bangladesh

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 25 Jan 2010 22:39

(1) The daily dynamics of Bangladesh can strike one in the sense that how could this country went to BNP-led four-party rule for five years, especially when Jamait was one of the partners. For the last few days, the country is abuzz with with major things – ‘Akheri Monazzat’ (Islamic gathering organized by Tablighi Jamaat) at the banks of Turaag river at Gazipur (one of the four rivers surrounding Dhaka); and the other is the Math Olympiad where millions of school children are participating. Millions of parents are taking their kids to schools braving the early morning cold-spell. If four million people had assembled at Gazipur to pray to God for peace, then manifolds of that number of kids are flocking to schools to crack the math puzzles. This math scramble is going to roll over the entire country week by week covering several districts at a time.

(2) Winter is also the time not only the flowers like Dahlia and Marigold to bloom all over the country, but also an explosion of cultural events and academic activities ranging from memorial lectures to seminars and debates. It is this intellectual side of the nation that keeps it far apart from Pakistan (and Pakistan fears that most). Every district – covering sub-districts, Union boards are busy organizing, one way or the other, to celebrate the cultural heritage of the country with Rabindra-Sangeet – which is like the red blood cells in the society’s vein. And, this is anathema to Jamait-E Islaam.

(3) Now the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) is going to strike Jamait at its root. Very soon it is going to send a show cause letter to Jamait asking why it shouldn’t be barred from contesting future elections since the party’s constitution runs against the Country’s constitution which grants equal opportunity to all. Jamait’s party constitution’s fifth chapter says “Do not take command from any establishment other than Allah. Do not accept the (state’s) rules and regulations other than those of Allah….”. It also says “Do not accept any (state) rules except those in (Allah given) Shariaat …..” EC also contends that Jamait’s manifesto also encourages ‘Jihad’ to protect Islamic way of life by sacrificing one’s life which makes it go against the country’s constitution. Though Hasina is going slow for practical reasons to restore the secular constitution, the battle between EC and Jamait will shape up the contour of future direction. BNP has already warned that it won't let the current govt to return to 1972 constitution easily.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 25 Jan 2010 23:57

Kati wrote: ‘Akheri Monazzat’

Dont they call it the Biswa Ijtema? Does it have other names too?

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 26 Jan 2010 00:36

^^^^
Yes, it is Biswa Ijtema, and culminates with 'Akhreri Monazzat' on the last day when
millions cry (literally) and pray to Allah for all peace, wisdom ('subuddhi'), etc. Akherei
Monazzat was attended by approx four million people including hasina, Khaleda, prez,
and all big-wigs. Interestingly, being the jamaat-i tablighi gathering, it is headed by
Imams from UP (India).

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 26 Jan 2010 09:06

Jamaat's goals still against constitution -EC asks it to change party charter again to be RPO-proper; Freedom Party to lose registration

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 27 Jan 2010 01:11

Tricolour protest in enclaves
http://telegraphindia.com/1100126/jsp/s ... 028707.jsp

“We know very well that raising the Indian national flag in a land which belongs to Bangladesh is illegal. But this will help us draw the attention at the international level,” said Diptiman Sengupta, the assistant secretary of the Bharat-Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Co-ordination Committee which has been highlighting the plight of the enclave dwellers in foreign land. Sengupta argued that the move might help solve the long-standing problem of the people residing in Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves even 62 years after Independence.

The problem is India has more acre-age as enclaves within BD than BD does in India. 2-1 in fact. We have also perpetually leased the Tin Bigha corridor to Angorpota and Dahagram (BD enclaves) in India proper, and even allowed for electricity lines all the way from BD over Tin Bigha, while all we hear are BSF crossfire of cattle smugglers, phenysidyl smugglers, etc.

If someone is keen on the enclaves issue, there is a nice doctoral dissertation by a Univ of Melbourne character on wikipedia. Quite interesting and he blames India for much of the problems cos MHA refused to allow a gora to wade into our mess, whereas BD decided to play ball and provided him gubermandal access. What do we see? One of the few dissertations written on the enclaves subject disses us, truly a diss-ertation...

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 27 Jan 2010 02:27

Long term solution to solve the International Border issue is to make it a domestic border issue

Puerto Rico vs USA reltionaship

Commonwealth of India, anybody?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 27 Jan 2010 03:53

Rape victim receives 101 lashes for becoming pregnant

5 more jawans plead guilt, beg for mercy

Five more of the 62 accused BDR mutineers of 19 Rifle Battalion in Feni pleaded guilty and begged for mercy yesterday at the BDR special court-3.

On January 24, 53 accused mutineers pleaded guilty and begged for mercy during hearing for charge framing. The court, however, framed charges and proceeded with trial, reports a correspondent from Feni.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 28 Jan 2010 00:20

killers of mujib hanged.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8483988.stm

Bangladesh executes Mujib killers
Mujibur Rahman
Mr Rahman was the father of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh has begun executing the ex-army officers convicted of killing the country's independence leader in 1975.

Five men killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the president's wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and approximately 20 others as part of a military coup.

Only hours earlier the Bangladeshi law minister had announced that they would be executed by Sunday but could be "hanged at any moment".

Two were executed on Wednesday. All five had not denied their crimes.

"Two of the killers are already dead and three others will be put to gallows in a while," a prison official told reporters, according to Reuters news agency.

The five men, who had been in prison in the capital, Dhaka, did not deny their role in the death of Mr Rahman, but had said they should be tried in a military rather than a civilian court.

The Supreme Court had dismissed their appeals to commute the sentence, paving the way for a date to be set for execution, AFP reported earlier.

Mr Rahman was killed in 1975, just four years after leading Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan.
..........

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 28 Jan 2010 01:40

Newspapers and online chat-rooms are abuzz with the news of execution
of five accused of killing Sk. Mujib. In general people are saying that the
nation has now redeemed its partial guilt, and can now look forward. Seven
accused of the same crime are still on the run.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 28 Jan 2010 01:50

still, this is welcome development. even the semblance of rule of law goes a long way.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Jan 2010 08:09

I think India should learn a lesson, if they want to, from the way the present regime in Bangladesh went about the hanging of the killers of Bangabandhu. They were hanged the very next day and immediately after last-minute clemency appeals were rejected by the President. OTOH, we have appeals pending for decades and the Home Minister proudly says that Afzal Guru is 28th in the list and so disposing of his clemency petition will take a very long time. Then, there is the case of Rajiv Gandhi's killers, one of whom is about to be released after being found guilty on 16 counts by all courts including the Supreme Court.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 28 Jan 2010 08:48

SSridhar wrote:I think India should learn a lesson, if they want to, from the way the present regime in Bangladesh went about the hanging of the killers of Bangabandhu.

This could also be because Mujib was like a "Mahatma Gandhi" of Bangladesh. How much time did the trial and execution of Nathuram Godse take? Visible action needed to be taken against the killers of Bangabandhu, his daughter was in charge and things went off quickly. In India, Afzal can have good food and rest in Tihar jail, because he did not kill high profile people and as for Nalini et.al, Congress is out there to score browny points (and Rajiv Gandhi != Mahatma Gandhi).