Police chiefs of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) nations will attend a two-day meet beginning today in Colombo of Sri Lanka. They aim to discuss on tackling cross border crimes more effectively and strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the region.

Officials said this meet would be a lead up to the conference of home/interior ministers of Saarc member states on border crimes shortly.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hasan Mahmood Khandaker, leading a nine-member Bangladesh delegation, left yesterday to attend the three conferences, beginning today and ending tomorrow.

The conferences are the 9th Saarc Conference on Cooperation in Police Matters, 4th Meeting of Focal Points of Saarc Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) and 4th Meeting of Focal Points of Saarc Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD).

Besides, heads of agencies involved in investigating terrorism and narcotics in Saarc countries will

meet today to discuss regional issues pertaining to terrorism and drug smuggling across Saarc countries.

Sources at foreign and home ministries said the chiefs would discuss issues relating to terrorism, drug peddling and gunrunning crimes.

They would examine and discuss proposals to be presented by the SDOMD and the STOMD and a final draft will be prepared based on the recommendations presented by the agencies.

The report will then be submitted to the home/interior ministers of Saarc countries, who will meet

shortly prior to the main Saarc conference in the Maldives at the end of this year.

Officials said the conferences would be a forum to enhance professionalism of police agencies, promote goodwill among police officers of Saarc region and share information.

IGP Mahmood will hold bilateral discussion with his counterparts from Saarc countries on the sideline of the conferences. He will also take part in different programmes to be organised by the Sri Lankan government and is expected to return home on April 7.