United News of Bangladesh

India has said issues relating to the Ganga Water Treaty between Bangladesh and India will be discussed under the framework of the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) as Bangladesh awaits New Delhi’s response on the matter. “Ganga Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years and all water related issues, river related issues between India and Bangladesh are discussed as part of the agenda of the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission,” said Official Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal. Talking to reporters in New Delhi recently, Jaiswal said further meetings of the Joint Committee of the Ganga Water Treaty continue to be held at the technical level. The government is determined to renegotiate the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty with India while preserving the rights of the Bangladeshi people. Replying to a supplementary question from Bagerhat-4 lawmaker Abdul Aleem, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday said Bangladesh remains active in pursuing its fair share of water from common rivers. He said a team has been formed to prepare a new agreement following the expiry of the Ganges Water-sharing Treaty, and the Indian authorities have been informed accordingly. “We are now waiting for their response.” The Bangladesh-India Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years which is expiring in December this year. Experts said the treaty needs to be ‘reviewed and reformed comprehensively’ before going for a renewed treaty by engaging economists, urban planners, sociologists and environmentalists in the planning, as Dhaka shares the ‘risk’ of not sharing it appropriately. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur, while attending the ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, said they would like to see that there is an arrangement and a new treaty, or a revised treaty, ensuring the essential needs of their people. “These are common rivers, and we have common legacies here, common interests and, as I said, there's no other alternative but to seek a solution that is durable and will win public trust. And this will also be very important to lay the basis for the relationship over the next 25 to 50 years,” he told NDTV on the sidelines of the conference. “I think it is very important for Bangladesh and India to renew the Ganges Treaty. But it has to be revised. The very simple reason is that the treaty was done almost three decades ago,” Prof Shahab Enam Khan, who is the Executive Director of Bangladesh Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, told UNB recently.

India on Friday reiterated that Bangladesh’s extradition request for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being taken into consideration, given the legalities and judicial processes involved. "We have received a request for extradition. This request, as we have said earlier as well, is under examination, and the request is being taken into consideration, given the legalities that are involved and the judicial processes....," Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi during a regular media briefing. Regarding the return of Hasina, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Thursday said the Indian government needs to demonstrate political and diplomatic will and all kinds of goodwill. Shama Obaed said former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently staying in India, would be arrested whenever she comes to Bangladesh. "Since she has been convicted, there is no scope for surrender. Whenever she comes to Bangladesh, she will be arrested. It will be done in accordance with the law," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that efforts are continuing to secure her extradition to Bangladesh. The State Minister said the people of Bangladesh want court orders to be implemented against those living abroad. She said the Law Adviser and the Home Adviser had already explained the legal aspects. Bangladesh has formally requested India to extradite Hasina under the bilateral extradition treaty. Bangladesh is making sustained diplomatic efforts to bring Hasina back to face trial while acknowledging that the extradition process takes time. Three ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have been pursuing the matter since the new government assumed office in February, building on efforts initiated under the interim government. The government believes the people of Bangladesh want Hasina to be extradited. On April 8, Bangladesh renewed its request for the extradition of Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, both of whom have been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal. "We will continue to seek her extradition through a transparent judicial process. It has been discussed and will be dealt with through a transparent judicial process," Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir told reporters in Dhaka.

Amid push-in bids along the border, India has said all foreign nationals in India including those from Bangladesh will be dealt with as per the law if they are living there illegally. "All foreign nationals in India, if they are here illegally, including those from Bangladesh, we have laws to deal with them and they will be dealt with accordingly," Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi during a regular briefing on Friday. As far as the deportation of these people is concerned, he said, there is a bilateral mechanism in place. "And once we refer these cases to the Bangladeshi side for verification of the nationality of these people, and once it is verified, then we take forward the deportation process," said the MEA spokesperson. "We have several, or many, of these requests which are still pending with the Bangladeshi side," Jaiswal said, expressing hope that they will be expedited as soon as possible so that the deportation of people who are illegally staying in India can be carried out in a smooth and efficient manner. Responding to a question, he said they want to further strengthen bilateral ties with Bangladesh and take them in a positive direction. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said they foiled attempts by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push 95 people into Bangladesh through separate border points in six districts over the past 24 hours until Saturday morning.

India on Thursday said Bangladesh’s remarks on alleged “pushback” incidents must be viewed in the context of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and urged Bangladesh to expedite pending nationality verification cases. “We expect that Bangladesh will expedite nationality verification so that the repatriation of illegal immigrants can take place in a smooth manner,” Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters while responding to a question. At the weekly media briefing, he said they have seen comments of this nature being made in the last several days and these comments must be seen in the context of the core issue of the repatriation of illegal Bangladeshis from India. “This obviously requires cooperation from Bangladesh,” Jaiswal said. He mentioned that more than 2,860 cases of nationality verification were pending with Bangladesh, with some awaiting clearance for over five years. The Indian side said the people or foreigners who are staying in India illegally, whether they happen to be Bangladeshi national or any other national, they will be dealt as per law. Eatlier, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed expressed hope that people would not be pushed into Bangladesh after the BJP’s victory in assembly elections in bordering Indian states. He, however, said the Border Guard Bangladesh had been asked to “remain alert” along the border.    

India on Friday trashed the remarks made by Bangladesh Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury blaming New Delhi for recent violence, calling those allegations 'false and baseless'. “We categorically reject these false and baseless allegations," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal while responding to a question during the weekly media briefing. He said the interim government, which is unable to maintain law and order in the country, has a tendency of routinely trying to shifting the blame elsewhere. The MEA Spokesperson urged Bangladesh to 'introspect and conduct serious investigations' into the actions of local extremists committing violence, arson and land grab against minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Bangladesh, India emotionally linked by shared sacrifices: Verma Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday alleged that the current unrest in Khagrachhari was being instigated by India or fascist elements. “All necessary measures have been taken to ensure the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja, but a vested quarter is trying to disrupt the festival,” he said.

India has expressed concern over what it called a "surge of extremist rhetoric" in Bangladesh and said the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting the minorities. "We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation," Spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in a regular media briefing in New Delhi on Friday. He said these developments "cannot be dismissed" only as "media exaggerations." "We once again call upon Bangladesh to take steps for the protection of minorities," said the MEA spokesperson. Expressing its concern over the situation of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal said that the Indian government has raised the issue with Bangladesh.  “We made opposition very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. We have raised this matter with Bangladesh that they must take responsibility for protecting the minorities and safeguarding their interests, and providing for their safety and security," he added. On the arrest and imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das, Jaiswal said they have issued a statement on that. Bangladesh condemns desecration of national flag, effigy burning of Prof Yunus in Kolkata “We see ISKCON as a globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service," said the MEA spokesperson. He said cases against individuals and legal processes are underway. The Indian MEA spokesperson said they hope and expect that these processes will be dealt with in a fair, just and transparent manner ensuring full respect for these individuals and all those who are concerned.