By IANS,
Guwahati : Bangladesh’s pledge to sign a treaty enabling transfer of sentenced militants and criminals and crack down on Indian separatists in its territory has evoked a positive response in Assam.
“If such a treaty is signed, then it is surely a positive development. But it all depends on the Bangladesh government’s sincerity,” former Assam police chief G.M. Srivastava said.
“With top leaders of militant groups from Assam and the northeast staying in Bangladesh, a treaty like the one agreed upon could be of immense help in tackling insurgency,” Srivastava told IANS.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni announced at the end of her four-day India visit that a treaty was in the offing on various counts – from transferring sentenced militants and criminals, combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking, to acting tough on Indian terrorists based in that country.
The decisions were arrived at during talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in New Delhi.
India has on numerous occasions submitted lists of camps of northeastern rebel groups based in Bangladesh. Dhaka has persistently denied the existences of these camps.
Separatist camps apart, New Delhi had also queried Dhaka about the presence of separatist leaders like Paresh Baruah, commander-in-chief of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Arabinda Rajkhowa, the ULFA chairman, and Ranjan Daimary, chairman of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), besides several others from the northeast.
“Now that Bangladesh has committed to act tough, there is bound to be pressure on leaders like Paresh Baruah. We understand Paresh Baruah moves around freely in Bangladesh, but maybe it will now be difficult for him,” Jitten Dutta, leader of the pro-talk ULFA faction, told IANS.
The A and C companies of ULFA’s 28th battalion, the most potent striking units of the outfit, announced a unilateral ceasefire last year and named itself the ‘pro-talk ULFA faction’.
The signing of a treaty would also help India to demand the extradition of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia from Bangladesh – he is under detention in Bangladesh after being arrested on Dec 21, 1997.
“If Anup Chetia is handed over to India, then probably he would be of great help in furthering the deadlocked peace process with ULFA. He was one person who in the past met leaders in New Delhi for talks… so he has the credentials of being a moderate,” Dutta said.
In 1991, five top ULFA leaders led by Anup Chetia met then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao in New Delhi and promised to bring in other top leaders for talks.
But with the senior rebel leadership refusing to hold talks, Chetia went underground again.