NEW DELHI, July 29 � Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram is leaving for Dhaka later tonight to pave the way for signing of several vital agreements including finalising the India-Bangladesh Border Management Plan. He is expected to ask for handover of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia also.
An official spokesman said that the Union Home Minister is leaving for Dhaka on one-day official visit. During the visit, he will hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart. He will also meet the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr. Dipu Moni.
Security and border management-related issues between the two countries are proposed to be discussed during the visit. It is expected that the Indo-Bangladesh Border Management Plan would be finalised during the visit.
Director General, BSF and other senior officers are accompanying the Union Home Minister. Chidambaram is touring Bangladesh at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart, Shahara Khatun.
According to sources, the Home Minister is likely to formally seek Anup Chetia�s hand over, in keeping with the request made by the pro-talk faction of ULFA to the Centre. Chetia has completed his jail term in Bangladesh and is
under protective custody. However, he is yet to withdraw his application seeking political asylum in Bangladesh, which is often flagged by Dhaka.
Sources said the two countries may finalise an agreement on �co-ordinated border management plan� to check illegal migration, criminal acts like killings, human trafficking smuggling of drugs, weapons and fake currencies in the borders districts during Chidambaram�s visit.
The Joint Boundary Working Group headed by joint secretaries of the two countries has prepared the draft of the document. The two sides have already met to give a final shape to the border management plant.
Sources said plan is to strengthen the joint patrolling of the border in designated areas along the borders to check cross-border illegal movement of persons and criminals. India and Bangladesh sides have agreed to sign the deal to jointly patrol 700 �vulnerable stretches� including riverine sections, sources said.
A significant aspect of Chidambaram�s visit is that he is likely to finalise plan for exchange of enclave now in adverse possession between the two countries. An agreement to this effect is likely to be signed during the Prime Minister�s September visit.
The two countries formed the working group headed by the joint secretaries in 2002 to settle the dispute involving territories in adverse possession, enclaves and demarcation of 6.5km of undemarcated border areas. India and Bangladesh have 111 and 51 enclaves, respectively, in each other�s possession.
