Bangladesh and India agree to share real-time intel, involve Myanmar
Bangladesh and India, who share one of the longest land borders in the world, have agreed to share “real-time intelligence information” and involve their common neighbour Myanmar to stop drug trafficking on their frontiers.
The decision was taken at the sixth director general level talks between the narcotics control departments of Bangladesh and India yesterday in Dhaka.
Md Jamal Uddin Chowdhury led the Bangladeshi side while Rakesh Asthana led the Indian side.
In a joint press briefing -- after holding the meeting at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka hotel -- they said that they have agreed to do whatever is necessary to stop drug trafficking.
Codeine-based syrup like Phensedyl, which is legal for cough treatment in India, is illegally trafficked into Bangladesh.
Yaba tablets, heroin and cannabis also make their way into to Bangladesh and many traffickers go through India to illegally bring these narcotics from Myanmar.
The director general from Bangladesh said the Indian side proposed to involve Myanmar and have a tripartite meeting, because they are common neighbours and drugs come from Myanmar as well.
“We have agreed to the proposal and asked them to contact Myanmar. We are even ready to host the meeting in Dhaka,” Jamal said, adding that it will be more fruitful for Bangladesh.
Indian Director General Asthana said they are committed to eliminating this social evil.
At the discussion, the Indian side reiterated their home minister’s commitment that Indian soil will not be allowed to use for drug trafficking.
“We have identified various areas of cooperation, as the Bangladesh DG has mentioned in his address,” Asthana said.
First and foremost is real-time sharing of intelligence and subsequent action on that, he added.
“The formalities have been chalked out and it will be designed and redesigned further. The basic fact remains, we have agreed that whatever intelligence, whatever information is gathered by us shall be exchanged in real time and should be pursued in real time,” he said.
Untill and unless they take actions against the drug traffickers actively, this problem is not going to be over, he said.
Asthana said they also discussed the modalities for detailed investigation -- for some big cases where major syndicates are involved.
The Indian official also promised to take “effective and timely” actions against those who push drugs into Bangladesh if investigators in Dhaka inform them about their connections in India.
“So far, as the investigation part is concerned, Bangladesh authorities have expressed the desire to inform us of the drug traffickers’ connection in my country and in turn, we have promised to take effective and timely actions against those pushing drugs into Bangladesh,” he said.
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