Dhaka asks Delhi for handing over 2004 grenade attack culprits hiding in India
Friday, 5 February 2010
NEW DELHI, Feb 4 (bdnews24.com): Bangladesh believes that terrorists responsible for the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attacks on an Awami League rally in Dhaka might be hiding in India and has formally requested the government of the neighbouring country to detain and hand them over.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmed Tariq Karim said that Dhaka had formally requested New Delhi to look for the terrorists responsible for the 2004 grenade attack that had killed 23 people and left many injured. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was then leading the opposition, was among the injured and the dead included several Awami League leaders, workers and supporters.
"There are a number of people whom we want and could be living somewhere in India... those people who were involved in attacking political rallies in 2004... We want them back," Karim told journalists in Guwahati - the main city of India's northeastern state of Assam.
"We have made a formal plea to India to hand them back to us. The process has already started and is moving in the right direction," he added.
The envoy was replying to queries on cooperation between Dhaka and Delhi in combating terrorism.
Assam has a 272 km long border with Bangladesh. The northeastern Indian state has been the scene of several insurgencies and ethnic conflicts since early 1970s.
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is the most prominent among the insurgent organisations of the troubled state.
India has long been claiming that the ULFA and several other militant outfits of its northeastern region have bases and facilities for guerrilla warfare training in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmed Tariq Karim said that Dhaka had formally requested New Delhi to look for the terrorists responsible for the 2004 grenade attack that had killed 23 people and left many injured. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was then leading the opposition, was among the injured and the dead included several Awami League leaders, workers and supporters.
"There are a number of people whom we want and could be living somewhere in India... those people who were involved in attacking political rallies in 2004... We want them back," Karim told journalists in Guwahati - the main city of India's northeastern state of Assam.
"We have made a formal plea to India to hand them back to us. The process has already started and is moving in the right direction," he added.
The envoy was replying to queries on cooperation between Dhaka and Delhi in combating terrorism.
Assam has a 272 km long border with Bangladesh. The northeastern Indian state has been the scene of several insurgencies and ethnic conflicts since early 1970s.
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is the most prominent among the insurgent organisations of the troubled state.
India has long been claiming that the ULFA and several other militant outfits of its northeastern region have bases and facilities for guerrilla warfare training in Bangladesh.