Zero tolerance for anti-India activities: Bangladesh

Addressing a joint press conference at the end of the 12th India-Bangladesh Home Secretary-level talks, Bangladesh Home Secretary Monzur Hosssain said Dhaka was keen to further improve security cooperation with New Delhi by exploring new areas for mutual benefit of the two neighbours.

"Anti-India forces are not active in Bangladesh. We don't allow them. We don't allow them to do anything like that. But some time some things do happen, that is a different issue. But they will not be tolerated. We have zero tolerance for them," he said sitting besides Union Home Secretary R K Singh.

Both the Home Secretaries reaffirmed their commitment not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity inimical to each other's interests.

Asked about the possibility of deportation of Anup Chetia, languishing in a jail in Dhaka since 1997, Hossain said due to some legal issues, he has not been deported but hoped that those issues would be resolved soon and that he would be handed over to India "at the earliest".

"Legal matters are not in our hands... We can't comment on them. They are subjudice. Once that is done, we will take appropriate action at the earliest," he said.

Singh said discussions on Chetia were on and New Delhi was happy with the status and the steps being taken by Bangladesh.

"We consider Bangladesh to be one of our closest friends. In the past one-and-a-half years, our cooperation has been very close, very close indeed. We are very happy -- both the countries are very happy with the cooperation which is in place. We look forward to this cooperation and (want it) to keep going on," he said.