NE insurgency, border issues agendised for Zia visit

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) India will raise the issue of insurgency and other cross border illegal activities with Bangladesh during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia beginning tomorrow.

Begum Khalida Zia who arrives here tomorrow on a three day official visit will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Indian leaders on the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including security related issues.

She will also meet President APJ Abdul Kalam and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The border issue between the two countries remains unresolved.

India wants the 4000 Km border between the two countries to be strictly guarded to stop any illegal activities. India is fencing the border, but Bangladesh is objecting to fencing within 150 yards of the zero line of the border.

This, along with the issue of North East insurgents taking shelter in Bangladesh, remains the most contentious issue between the two countries. Although Bangladesh has arrested some prominent North East insurgent leaders including Anup Chetia of the ULFA, India is demanding more action against North East insurgents who have taken shelter in Bangladesh. Bangladesh however denies the presence of any North east insurgent camps on its territory.

Talking about the visit, Bangladesh officials here said Begum Zia would be coming to India with a ''very positive frame of mind''.

''The whole range of bilateral issues that exist and how to carry them forward, will be discussed...We do hope something positive will come out. There is no reason to be pessimistic. It will be a landmark visit in terms of bilateral relations,'' they added.

UNI RB ARB KN1605