ROHINGYA REPATRIATION: India assures Bangladesh of continuing cooperation

NEWS DESK

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan this afternoon (Nov 18, 2022) held a meeting with his Indian counterpart Amit Shah in New Delhi when they discussed various aspects relating to border management and common security-related issues.

The two home ministers held the meeting on the sidelines of ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing, which began in New Delhi today (Nov 18, 2022).

“Both sides had productive exchanges on border management and common security-related issues,” the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs tweeted this evening (Nov 18, 2022) after the meeting.

Besides, Bangladesh delegation sources said that the two home ministers also discussed the issue to bring down border killings to a “zero” level.

Regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas, who were forcibly displaced from their homeland Myanmar, the Indian side assured that India will continue its cooperation for the peaceful repatriation of the Rohingya people.

Both home ministers expressed the hope that they will stand beside each other during the need of time in future like in 1971 when the people of the two countries fought together against the Pakistani occupation forces.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Bangladesh Abu Hena Mostafa Zaman, Deputy High Commissioner Md Nural Islam, Minister (Consular) Selim Md. Jahangir, among others, were present at the meeting.

Asaduzzaman arrived in New Delhi on Thursday (Nov 17, 2022) on a three-day official visit to attend the third ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the two-day conference at Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi this morning (Nov 18, 2022).

As many as 450 delegates from 76 countries across the world have been attending the conference to discuss issues on terror financing and other related issues. Home ministers of 20 countries including Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, France, Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore attended today’s sessions (Nov 18, 2022).

The Bangladesh home minister is leading a 3-member delegation to the conference, which “will offer a unique platform for participating nations to deliberate on effectiveness of the current international regime on Counter Terrorism Financing and steps required to address emerging challenges”.

On the first day of the conference today (Nov 18, 2022), deliberations were held in the first and second sessions on ‘Global Trends in Terrorism and Terrorist Financing’ and ‘Use of Formal and Informal Channels of Funds for Terrorism’.

The third and fourth sessions will be held tomorrow (Nov 19, 2022) on ‘Emerging Technologies and Terrorist Financing’ and ‘International Co-operation to Address Challenges in Combating Terrorist Financing’.

Bangladesh presented a paper on ‘Terror financing through MTSS, Hawala/Hundi networks’ in the second session today (Nov 18, 2022). Joint Secretary Public Safety Division Abu Hena Mostafa Zaman presented the paper on behalf of Bangladesh.