New Delhi (NVI): India and Bangladesh today expressed commitment to further expand and strengthen mutual cooperation in the security and border related issues as they discussed the early completion of pending border fencing work.
At the talks between Home Secretaries held virtually, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of security and border related cooperation and agreed to work closely to fulfill the shared vision of the leadership of the two countries.
“The 19th Home Secretary Level Talks (HSLT) between India and Bangladesh was held virtually in the backdrop of ‘MujibBarsho’ and 50 years of Bangladesh Liberation War and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement.
The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Mostafa Kamal Uddin, Senior Secretary Public Security Division in Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs led the delegation from Bangladesh.
During the virtual meeting, the two Home Secretaries reiterated their commitment to further expand and strengthen mutual cooperation in the security and border related issues, the statement said.
It added that, “Both sides reaffirmed not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity inimical to each other’s interests.”
India and Bangladesh, which attach highest importance to their bilateral relations also agreed to further enhance the level of cooperation to prevent the smuggling of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and contraband.
MHA further said that the two countries discussed early completion of pending fencing along the Indo Bangladesh Border (IBB) as agreed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries. “Both the sides also appreciated the cooperation between the two countries and the action taken to address the menace of terrorism and extremism in an effective manner,” it said.
Apart from that, the effective functioning of the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) to control the illegal cross border activities was also appreciated by both the countries.
“Bangladesh appreciated the assistance provided by India in the field of training and capacity building for various security agencies in their country,” the MHA statement added.
-RJV
