Measures to stop firing discussed

Bangladesh and India yesterday discussed measures to bring down incidents of firing along their border to a zero level as the chiefs of the border guard forces of the two countries began their meeting here.
Both Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) discussed how to stop border firing incidents in pursuance of the directives issued from the last month's meeting of the home ministers of the two countries -- Shahara Khatun and P Chidambaram -- in New Delhi, diplomatic sources said.
Bangladesh's concern over phensidyl factories were conveyed on the first day of the talks.
The 22-member Bangladesh delegation, led by its director general, handed over a list of phensidyl factories allegedly set up in India's border areas and asked New Delhi to crack down on them.
India, however, denied the charge that phensidyl factories existed on its border with Bangladesh, but said it would check and take necessary actions if such units were found.
While Maj Gen Anwar Hussain is leading the BGB side at the talks, the other side is led by U K Bansal.
The meeting also discussed sharing real-time information regarding cross-border movement of smugglers, drug and human traffickers.
Earlier, the Bangladeshi delegation called on Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram and Home Secretary R K Singh.
During the meetings with Chidambaram and Singh, the visiting delegation pressed for handing over the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who are believed to be hiding in India.
Both Chidambaram and Singh were understood to have assured the Bangladeshi delegation that efforts were on to trace them and once that happens, they would be handed over to Bangladesh to face trial.