Indian and Bangladeshi home ministers sit for talks in Dhaka

The home ministers of Bangladesh and India are sitting for talks in Dhaka, during which they will discuss a number of issues including regional security, border management, the threat of terrorism and the refugee crisis.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 15 July 2018, 07:25 AM
Updated : 15 July 2018, 07:25 AM

Home Minister Rajnath Singh is leading a nine-member Indian delegation at the meeting, which began around 10:30am at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs office. His counterpart, Asaduzzaman Khan, is heading a 15-member Bangladeshi delegation.

The chiefs of police, the Coast Guard and RAB and the DMP commissioner and top officials from various law enforcement agencies are also attending the session.

According to a senior official of the ministry said, the delegations will also discuss issues of cooperation on security, consular service and the ways how to control several criminal activities like counterfeit currency, and drug and human trafficking. 

They will also discuss how to improve connectivity between the two countries.

The ministers are likely to sign a revised travel agreement to ease the visa processing system between India and Bangladesh.

The Indian government has already taken some steps to ease the visa processing system for Bangladeshi nationals such as setting up a regular process of visa applications and removing e-token obligation. They are also providing long term visas for senior citizens, freedom fighters and businessmen of Bangladesh.

The last meeting between the Home Ministers was held at New Delhi in July 2016. During the meeting the two discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship and how to strengthen them.

The Indian Home Minister was welcomed at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday morning by his Bangladeshi counterpart and presented with flowers.

A team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police saluted him.

Rajnath Singh arrived in Dhaka on Friday for a three-day official visit. He met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Secretariat on Saturday morning. Later he inaugurated India's largest visa centre at Jamuna Future Park.

He also inaugurated the Bangladesh-India Friendship Building at the Bangladesh Police Academy in Rajshahi, Sardah.