By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh has asked India to hand over three of its “most wanted” criminals hiding in West Bengal but says it has no knowledge of the criminals New Delhi is seeking.
Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has cited the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries as the reason why there are problems in exchanging criminals and says things have moved so far only because of “good relations”.
The Daily Star Tuesday quoted CID chief Phani Bhushan Chowdhury as saying: “Although there is no extradition treaty between Bangladesh and India, the West Bengal authorities deported five Bangladeshi criminals due to good relations between the two countries. We are in close contact with the West Bengal CID for bringing back more Bangladeshi criminals.”
Official sources here said the West Bengal CID had demanded that Indian Jiban Singh and an accomplice, reportedly hiding in Bangladesh, be handed over to it in exchange for the deportation of arrested Bangladeshi criminals.
Dhaka has requested the West Bengal CID to deport three criminals – Sanzidul Islam Imon, Tanvirul Islam Joy, Haris — before Eid-ul-Azha. Bangladeshi officials will soon fly to India to complete the deportation procedure, CID sources said.
The West Bengal CID has, however, demanded that Indian criminals arrested in Bangladesh be deported in exchange for the Bangladeshi criminals, the sources added.
The West Bengal CID has deported five Bangladeshi criminals this year. Of them, Rafiq and Babul alias Jewel, close accomplices of Joy, are in Jessore jail.
The other three – Habibur Rahman Taj, Ibrahim, and Lamba Selim – are now in Dhaka Central Jail.
According to Bangladeshi sources, at least 350 to 400 Bangladeshi criminals are hiding in India while a number of Indian criminals are also staying in Bangladesh, the Daily Star reported.