Author: Pallab Bhattachariya, New
Delhi
Publication: Daily Star News
Date: February 1, 2003
URL: http://www.dailystarnews.com/200302/01/n3020101.htm#BODY6
India yesterday summoned Bangladesh's
Acting Deputy High Commissioner to New Delhi Shahadat Hussain and conveyed
to him Indian government's concerns over "illegal immigration of Bangladeshi
nationals into India".
External Affairs Ministry Director
KR Bhattachariya told Shahadat that Dhaka must recognise the gravity of
the problem of illegal immigrants and address it in a pragmatic manner
and in a spirit of cooperation.
A spokesman of the ministry told
reporters that an aide memoir was handed over to the Bangladesh diplomat,
stating that "this issue needs to be recognised by Dhaka and suitably redressed".
"The Bangladesh government needs
to recognise the gravity of the situation and address it in a pragmatic
manner with sincerity and in a spirit of cooperation," said the spokesman,
Navtej Sarna.
Asked about Bangladesh's charge
that India was pushing in Bangla-speaking Indian Muslims, he said there
is no question of any Indian citizens being pushed into Bangladesh.
"Any such allegation or implication
of such allegation is baseless. It is absurd. This is not a problem which
will vanish simply if you do not address it. This needs to be recognised
as a grave problem."
The spokesman informed that India
has taken up the issue with Bangladesh at the highest level and at all
levels. "What we need is a response, which recognise this as a grave problem."