South Asia police chiefs discuss terrorism, crime

DHAKA, May 9: Police chiefs from South Asian countries met in the Bangladesh capital today to discuss ways to combat terrorism and set the stage for a meeting of their home ministers.

The meeting brings together officials and experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

All but Bhutan and Maldives have been hit by terrorism blamed on Islamist militants, Maoist rebels or Tamil Tigers, who often cross over long, porous borders into other countries, officials said.

South Asian interior ministers will meet later to discuss closer cooperation on tackling terrorism and other crimes including smuggling and trafficking of women and children, they said.

''Formation of SAARCPOL (in line with Interpol) and development of a police network to track down fugitive criminals were also discussed in the meeting,'' Inspector-general of Bangladesh Police, Mohammad Abdul Quayyum, told Reuters on sidelines of the meeting in Dhaka.

''We hope cooperation among police forces of the member countries will lead to a vibrant and successful forum,'' SAARC Secretary-General Chenkyab Dorji told the meeting.

At the 13th SAARC summit held in Dhaka last November, the forum formally offered membership to Afghanisan and observer status to China. But Beijing did not send a representative today's meeting.

The police chiefs' meeting was the fifth since SAARC was formed in 1985, officials said.

Bangladesh was rocked by a series of bombings by outlawed Islamist groups between August and March, in which 30 people were killed and some 150 wounded.

The Islamists were trying to force Bangladesh to introduce Islamic sharia law in the mainly Muslim democracy.

Both Bangladesh and India say many rebels from their countries are hiding in each other's territory ''A proposal for an extradition treaty among the SAARC member countries is likely to come up in the meetings of the home secretaries and the home ministers of the block,'' said Anwarul Iqbal, a senior Bangladeshi police officer.

Measures against drug smuggling and trafficking of women and children were also on the agenda.

REUTERS