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Curbing smuggling will end illegal migration

Morshed Khan asks India, all political parties to unite on fighting terrorism

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The issue of illegal migration with India can be resolved by ending cross-border smuggling, said Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan yesterday.
Condemning terrorists of all races and creeds, he also urged India as well as all political parties to refrain from doing politics with terrorism and to unite on handling the issue.
"To put an end to illegal migration (of Bangladeshis), we have resolved that all informal and illegal trades between India and Bangladesh should stop. Illegal migration is because of such trades," said the minister at a discussion organised by
the Overseas Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (OCAB) at the Jatiya Press Club.
A secretary-level Indian delegation is due to arrive in Dhaka on April 28 to discuss bilateral issues, including the matters standing in the way of the two neighbours.
"The formal trade between India and Bangladesh involves US$1.5 billion a year. To our knowledge, the informal or illegal trade between the two countries is worth about $3 billion," he said. "I would say as a neighbour Bangladesh is wonderful for India."
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"India accused us of illegal migration. I say there is. The border is vast. But to make it an issue is ridiculous," the minister said. "We have found a solution to the problem -- the crossborder illegal trade must be checked to control illegal migration."
Pointing to Bangladesh sharing a 4,200km border with India, he said, "There is no way but to work together with India. If that's the spirit, why allowing so many irritants then?"
On gas export to India, Khan said, "The government policy is that if gas is found surplus and that is sellable, we would consider that."
The minister recalled India's contribution to Bangladesh during the liberation war and said political rhetoric often surfaced without understanding of the 32-year-old relation. "Sometimes, this rhetoric goes beyond words and people along the border suffer. This should stop."
"We are harbouring investment and technology transfer, but not terrorism," Khan quipped. "After coming to power, we focussed on curbing terrorism because we believe terrorists have no religion or party."
"Politics needs serious efforts in uniting on the issue of terrorism.
People can live on half their meals, but not with terrorists," he said referring to the bomb attacks on the Ramna Batamul and other cultural functions
"Our government has contained terrorism for now. But unless politics shuns terrorism, it cannot be controlled for good. There will be a great crisis for all leaderships if we allow this to go on. The BNP, Awami League or Jamaat -- all need to unite."
"The same goes with the region. We should focus on the basic platform for overseas investment, technology transfer and economic cooperation," Khan told the OCAB members. "We have a lot to achieve together."
Next to India comes Myanmar that shares a 240km border with Bangladesh and was given priority, the minister also said.
"Our top priority is the two neighbours. We will discuss all our problems to find solutions on the basis of reality."
Although South Asia has tremendous potential with a huge middleclass market, it is not free from weakness, he said. Two nuclear power states in the region worry Bangladesh, he said. "We hope they would give up nuclear weapons and spend on poverty alleviation."