| Transborder smuggling a worry, says commissioner |
| Dhubri, May 9 : Assam home commissioner and secretary Rajeev Bora concluded his four-day visit to Indo-Bangladesh border areas of Dhubri district today. Bora, accompanied by a host of state as well as district-level officials, inspected the 135.5km Indo-Bangladesh border from Sadar Tila post under Mancachar to Satrasal border of Dhubri sector and took stock of the situation prevailing in the border for the last three days. Besides inspecting entire aspects of border, from barbed wire fencing to development of border villages, Bora held meetings with police, the BSF, block development officials and National Border Construction Corporation (NBCC) to know the present status of the ongoing projects. An official source said Bora and other senior officials were shown video clippings of cattle smuggling to Bangladesh through the porous border of Dhubri. Bora also met the border villagers of Sishumara, Satrasal and Boraibari and discussed their problems and inspected the 9.3km border fencing along the Mosalabari riverine border done by the NBCC. Asked about his visit, Bora said he had extensively travelled the border areas of the district and taken stock of the situation. “Many a work in the border areas, including border fencing at Moslabari Char, is progressing and will be completed soon. As far as development of border villages is concerned, I have spoken to the officials and instructed them to follow the guidelines of the Centre while implementing the projects,” Bora said. Former AASU international border co-ordinator, Enamul Hoque, who met Bora and apprised him about the border situation, said he had brought the issues of river patrolling by vessel, cattle smuggling, trans-border illegal trade and movement of insurgent groups across the border coupled with unabated infiltration, which was jeopardising the national security, to the notice of the home commissioner. “I have apprised him (Bora) about the ground situation and forwarded some suggestions to stop infiltration from across the border as well as check trans-border smuggling including that of cattle,” Hoque said. A well known social activist of the area, Md Abdul Naser Alfaruque, who has launched a tirade against trans-border smuggling, said he had already written to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Azad, home minister, P. Chidambaram, chief of the army staff, Deepak Kapoor and director-general of the BSF, Mahendra Kumawat, and apprised them about the grave situation on the border. Alfaruque said the volume of cattle trade is a whopping Rs 20,000 crore since 2003 till date, which is one of the biggest underworld trade in the eastern part of the country controlled by the cattle mafia. “Our concern, however, is not just limited to cattle smuggling but also rampant trafficking of arms through the porous border and frequent movement of militant outfits,” Alfaruque said. |
Labels: bangladesh, border, dhubri
SHILLONG, Feb 10 Coal exports from Meghalaya to Bangladesh was hit in the wake of the indefinite strike by truckers’ bodies protesting “extortion” along highways as the three Meghalaya districts faced possible shortage of essentials with all truckers joining the stir from today.
The strike, spearheaded by Goalpara District Truck Owners’ Association (GDTOA) of Assam and backed by Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners’ and Operators’ Association and others began on February 7 in protest against alleged ‘illegal’ collection of money at weigh bridges, toll gates and pollution testing centres along the highways.
While the coal-laden trucks stopped plying from February 7, all trucks resorted to the blockade from today, reports said.
Coal exports to Bangladesh through the Ghasuapara land customs station in South Garo Hills came to a halt with the Ghasuapara coal transporters too stopping transportation on NH-62.
The President of North-east Federation on International Trade, RC Agrawal, said around 250 coal-laden trucks daily ply to Bangladesh on the route and the movement came to a halt since the strike began.
Around 15,000 metric tonne of coal is exported through the Ghasuapara land customs station daily.
About 550 trucks carrying coal and essential commodities, including LPG, enter the Garo Hills region from western Assam districts daily.
The truckers’ bodies threatened not to withdraw the strike unless the Meghalaya Government addresses the problem of ‘extortion’ along highways permanently.
Labels: bangladesh, Meghalaya
GUWAHATI, Feb 1 – The Government of India (GoI) should chalk out a comprehensive plan to deport the illegal migrants coming from Bangladesh. If the new Government in Bangladesh is found ready to cooperate in resolving the problem, that should be welcomed and the Central Government should not make the process for resolution of the issue a protracted one. There should be a time-bound approach to resolve the issue. This was the observation made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh. He was addressing the media persons here this evening.
He also made an appeal to the indigenous communities of Assam and the rest of the NE region and the regional parties to unite for resolution of the issue. They should take note of the fact that illegal migrants from Bangladesh are making the socio-economic problems of the region much grave, said Singh.
He alleged that the Congress Governments at the Centre and in the State had not taken any step to deport the Bangladesh nationals from the country, or to issue multi-purpose identity cards and to set up the foreigners’ tribunals as directed by the Supreme Court of India.
He also reiterated his party’s stand to set up a Northeast Security Council to focus on the security issues of the region. Moreover, he said, the Government should look into the funds coming to the accounts of the militants. The Government should examine whether mafia money or some percentage of the Central Government grants are going to the militants, he said, adding, the Government is not meant to enjoy power, but for building the society and the nation.
On the issue of electoral understanding of his party with the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), he said, referring to his party, that the regional party had entered into an understanding with the most secular party of the country, describing the Congress as the ‘biggest communal party.’ To the BJP, all infiltrators are infiltrators, he said, suggesting that it would not distinguish them on the basis of religion.
He also apprised the newspersons that there was no impasse in his party’s discussion with the AGP on the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat, and, a decision on the seat would soon come up. The discussion with the regional party is progressing in a good manner,’ asserted the BJP president.
The country is in deep crisis today and the credibility of the Government is also questioned, he said and maintained that the Congress could not solve the problems facing the country. It remained in power for over 54 years and has a dismal track record of performance, he said.
On the issue of removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla raised by his party Parliamentarians, he said that the Chief Election Commissioner had vindicated the BJP stand. He also maintained that Janata Dal (U) president Sharad Yadav had not made any adverse comment against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Yadav, a convenor of the NDA, reportedly criticised the BJP for its Hindutva agenda.
Labels: bangladesh, iflux, rajnath singh
New Delhi, Jan 28 India is hopeful of resolvinig the problems of transit and access in North East after the taking over of a new government in Bangladesh headed by Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said today.
"As the new government in Bangladesh has won with a landslide victory, we hope some of these problems of transit, trade and access will be substantially resolved,"Aiyar, Minister Development of North- Eastern Region (DONER), said.
" That will alter the whole scenario of economic development in the North-East,"he added while inaugurating the 6th North East Trade Expo-2009 today organized jointly by DONER and National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC).
The 11-day exhibition ( From January 27 to February 6) is showcasing products like handicraft, cane and bamboo materials, floriculture and agro processing items from all the eight states of North-East.
Emphasizing the central government&aposs seriousness for ushering in a new era of development in the North Eastern states, the minister said the central government plans to spend Rs 14 lakh crore in public sector in these states to bring North East at par with rest of India.
To a poser whether the central government gives more attention to Kashmir than North East, the minister quipped"had it been so, I would have been made the minister for Kashmir.
Labels: bangladesh, DONER
GUWAHATI, Jan 13 – The threat posed to the security of the nation by illegal migration from Bangladesh dominated the proceedings of the Question Hour in the State Assembly today and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi sought the cooperation of all sections of people including the political parties to deal with the problem. Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition, Chandra Mohan Patowary pointed out to news reports that Bangladesh Government was spending huge sums of money to teach Assamese language to students in a bid to encourage fresh infiltration to Assam.
The question was raised by independent legislator Pranab Kalita and legislators of both ruling and opposition parties took part in the discussions that followed. The Chief Minister admitted that illegal migration is a matter of serious concern and said that the Government was taking all possible measures to check the menace. He said that cooperation of all sections of people including the political parties is required to deal with the problem. He said that all the legislators should help the Government in identifying suspected illegal migrants in their respective constituencies. However, at the same time, he lamented that most people preferred to stay away from the district and police station-level committees constituted by the Government for detection of foreigners.
The Chief Minister said that the Government is planning to make birth and death registration mandatory, while, process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951 is on. He sought the opinion of the House on whether identity cards could be given to the citizens of Assam even before the process of updating the NRC is completed to reduce fresh infiltration. However, this suggestion was turned down by the Opposition members.
Gogoi further alleged that the AGP Government did not take any positive step to seal the Indo-Bangla border and only the present Government took up the issue seriously with the Centre. He said that the number of tribunals has been increased to expedite the process of identification of foreigners.
Earlier, raising the question, Pranab Kalita alleged that the Government was protecting the Bangladeshi nationals and certain of his remarks, which were expunged by the Speaker brought angry reactions from the ruling party members.
Chandra Mohan Patowary assured that the AGP would extend all support to the Government to deal with the problem of illegal migration. He said that according to reports, the Government of Bangladesh is spending 15 million Dollars to teach Assamese to students to encourage infiltration to Assam and a reward is given to anyone who helps Bangladeshi nationals to sneak into India. He said that during the tenure of the AGP Government in the State, the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act was a major hurdle in the way of detection and deportation of foreigners, but the Act was scrapped by the Supreme Court following a case filed by AGP MP Sarbananda Sonowal.
Jiten Gogoi (Ind) said that even after spending crores of Rupees, the border with Bangladesh has not been sealed.
Girindra Kumar Baruah (AGP) pointed out that even the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram admitted the threat posed by illegal migration. He said that a small country like Bhutan disfranchised more than one lakh Nepali citizens and started the process of deporting them. It is unfortunate that a country like India has not been able to deport the foreigners living illegally in the country.
Drupab Borgohain (CPI) said that identity cards to the citizens should be given only after updating the NRC.
The Forest Minister, Rockybul Hussain informed the State Assembly that from time to time, the State Government has been taking up the issue with the Centre and central teams visited Indo-Bangla border 14 times during the period from 2001 to 2008. The Chief Minister and Union Home Minister visited the border in 2006 to assess the situation on the ground and the State Government would welcome a visit by the Prime Minister. He also said that during January to November last year, as many as 2870 Bangladeshi nationals were nabbed by the police.
Hussain said that because of the efforts of the State Government, the fencing constructed along the international border in the first phase is being replaced with better quality fencing and the Centre also agreed to install floodlights along the fencing. The number of border outposts of the BSF has also been increased, he added.
Labels: bangladesh
KALYAN BAROOAH
NEW DELHI, Jan 3 – Bowing to pressure India is likely to ask Bangladesh to crack down on the Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs), with New Delhi deciding to rush External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee to Dhaka later this month. Highly placed sources said the External Affairs Minister has a two-point agenda. He would be taking up the issue of shelter being enjoyed by the North-East militants and urgent need to mount a crackdown, besides cross border trade, sources added.
Mukehrejee is likely to seek to expulsion of select ULFA and NDFB leaders including Anup Chetia, Arabinda Rajkhowa, Paresh Barua and Ranjan Daimary, said said.
India and Dhaka does not have an extradition treaty and hence New Delhi is insisting on handing over the militant leaders.
India is unlikely to send any representative to Dhaka to attend the swearing – in ceremony of Sheikh Hasina, tentatively scheduled on January 5. Instead Mukherjee is going towards later part of January to do some plain speaking.
However, India is unlikely to talk tough at this stage, sources clarified, adding that New Delhi wants the new government to settle down first. The date for Mukherjee’s visit has not been firmed up because the new government is yet to take over charge in Dhaka, sources said.
The recent incidents of blasts in Assam and the emerging links of involvement of the fundamentalist elements based across the border has led the North Eastern States to mount pressure on the Centre to prevail upon Dhaka to end the free run enjoyed by the militants.
Though Mukherjee is going to seek the expulsion of the militant leaders, sources in the Home Ministry said they are not hopeful of securing the custody of any one of the top guns of ULFA and NDFB.
Reports with the Centre suggested that ahead of the December 29 polls, top leaders of ULFA, Arabinda Rajkhowa, Paresh Baruah and Raju Baruah left Bangladesh for Thailand. They are now suspected to be holed somewhere in South East Asia.
Intelligence inputs suggest that the ULFA leaders have been shuttling between Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and East Timor. Ranjan Daimary for instance has reportedly bought some property in East Timor.
India, meanwhile, has adopted several measures to seal the Indo-Bangladesh border in the aftermath of spiralling violence in Assam. The Ministry of Home Affairs decided to replace fencing under Phase-I along Indo-Bangladesh border. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved extension of time for this project up to March 31, 2010.
Sources said in pursuance of the decision of the Government to replace the entire 861 Km of fencing constructed under Phase-I in West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya, which got damaged due to adverse climatic conditions and repeated submergence. At least 364 Km of fencing has been replaced so far, sources said.
sinlung.com
Labels: assam, bangladesh, new delhi, northeast
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