India has alerted Bangladesh that Rohingiya Muslims, who are at the receiving end of the communal flare-up in Burma, may try to cross over to Bangladesh for shelter in large number.
Disclosing that two countries have agreed to conduct joint patrolling in sensitive patches along the international border, security sources in the home ministry told this newspaper that director-general of Border Security Force Subhash Joshi, who led a delegation of the BSF to Dhaka for the biannual director-general-level Border Coordination Conference between the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), has also apprised its counterpart on the presence of nearly 150-200 militants of Northeast in their territory. About possible exodus of Rohingiya Muslims from Burma, security sources said that Indian intelligence agencies had some input on deteriorating relationship between the Rohingiya Muslims and indigenous Buddhist of Burma which may lead to largescale exodus from Burma. Pointing out that DG BSF has also pin pointed the areas where rebels belonging to NLFT, PLA, NDFB and Ulfa are taking shelter, security sources said, “There are nearly 20-25 shelter places in Khagrachari, Bandar-band, Rangamati and Chittagong areas where the rebels of Northeast are still taking shelter.”
Admitting that it would be difficult for Dhaka to nab them as they are not moving with arms and staying more in countryside, security sources said that Dhaka has also expressed their deep concern over the rampant smuggling of psychotropic drugs from India through the border.
Informing that India has agreed to extend necessary help in stopping the smuggling of such drugs from India, security sources said that the BSF has also sought the help of its counterpart in checking smuggling of huge number of cattle from India to Bangladesh.