GUWAHATI, June 6 � With improvement of relations between India and Bangladesh, a proposal to introduce bus service between Guwahati and Dhaka via Shillong is under serious consideration of the Government of India.
Highly-placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the Government has agreed on principle to introduce such a bus service to improve connectivity of the North East region. However, sources admitted that modalities for a bus service are yet to be finalized and �a lot of hurdles will have to be cleared before a bus service connecting Guwahati and Dhaka becomes operational. Further improvement of the relations between India and Bangladesh will also determine whether the Government of India gives its nod to the introduction of the bus service.�
Sources pointed out that the relations between India and Bangladesh started improving after the Sheikh Hasina Government assumed office in the neighbouring country and some of the key areas of recent discussions include improvement of trade ties and dealing with militancy. The Government of Bangladesh has already agreed on principle to allow use of Chittagong port, which would be of great help to the North East region, while, the Government of India is pressing the neighbouring country to allow use of the river routes, which would solve the problem of lack of connectivity of the North-east by a great extent. It may be mentioned here that a delegation of ministers of the NE states and traders of the region recently visited Bangladesh to discuss the issues relating to improvement of trade ties and the delegation also met the Bangladesh Prime Minister to put forward a list of the steps need to be taken in this regard.
Sources said that India has allowed Bangladesh use of routes from Nepal and Bhutan through India and Bangladesh is requesting India to allow use of more such routes. Government of India is also proving aids to Bangladesh for implementation of various development projects.
On the issue of militancy, sources said that though India and Bangladesh agreed to set up a joint task force, the same is yet to become operational. But sharing of information by both countries to deal with the problem has improved considerably in recent months, which led to handing over of a number of key members of NE based militant groups to India. Sources said that ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and other leaders of the ULFA were handed over before the last visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister to create a congenial atmosphere for the visit and only recently, after constant pressure from India, the NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary was handed over.
Sources said that a number of hardcore militants including members of the United Liberation Front of Asom, NDFB, the chairman of Manipur based group UNLF etc are still in Bangladesh and the Government of India has been putting pressure on Bangladesh to hand them over. The Government of India is expecting that Bangladesh would soon hand over the Kamatapur Liberation Organization (KLO) chief Jiban Singha as he is reportedly under surveillance. �The Government of Bangladesh may take time in handing over militants as if all the wanted persons are handed over at one go, Bangladesh Government will lose its barging point with India,� sources said.
Sources further said that India is requesting Bangladesh to hand over ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, who is under �protective custody� of Bangladesh after completing his jail term in the neighbouring country. However, the Government of Bangladesh will have to complete some legal formalities before handing him over to India, sources added.
