In talks with Modi, Bangladesh PM Hasina raises concerns over NRC

India and Bangladesh on Saturday decided to set up a joint coastal surveillance system and launched an LPG supply project as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina held "comprehensive" talks, signalling further expansion of already close strategic ties. 

In the discussions, Hasina also raised her concerns over roll out of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, an exercise carried out to identify genuine Indian citizens living in Assam and weed out illegal Bangladeshis.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told reporters that his country was keeping an eye on developments relating to NRC even as India conveyed to it that the issue was an internal matter of the country.

"We were told that this is an internal matter of India. Our relationship is best of the best at present. But at the same time we are keeping our eyes open (on the issue)," Haque said at a press conference.

Asked about Home Minister Amit Shah's comments that illegal Bangladeshi's from Assam would be deported, the Bangladeshi foreign secretary said: "We should not make a crisis out of nothing at this stage and we should be able to wait and see."

Government sources said the Indian side conveyed to Hasina that publication of the NRC was a court-monitored process and the final scenario on the issue is yet to emerge.

Haque said Bangladesh is not worried about the issue at the stage.

"We think this is an internal matter of India. Prime Minister Modi has explained to Prime Minister Hasina the process that India has put up in terms of making sure that everybody is eventually included in this (NRC)," he said.

The NRC has been prepared to identify genuine Indian citizens living in Assam since March 24, 1971, or before, and identify illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the state.

Out of 3.3 crore applicants, over 19 lakh people were excluded from the final NRC published on August 30.

Prime Minister Hasina had taken up the issue of NRC with Modi during their bilateral meeting in New York last month on the sidelines of the IN General Assembly.

After the roll out of the NRC, the Ministry of External Affairs said people left out of it are not "stateless" and will continue to enjoy all the rights as before till they exhaust all remedies available under the law.

"The case of movement of people is a global issue. There have always been issues relating to mobility of people among neighbourting States," said Haque, while citing example of a similar issue between the US and Mexico.

On the Rohingya issue, Haque said Modi appreciated Bangladesh's generosity in sheltering and providing humanitarian assistance to forcibly displaced persons from the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

A joint statement issued after talks between Modi and Hasina said India will supply a fifth tranche of humanitarian assistance to support Bangladesh's humanitarian efforts to shelter the Rohingyas in temporary camps in Cox's Bazar.

To a question, Haque said Bangladesh is not holding back any Rohingya refugees and anyone wanting to return to Myanmar are free to leave the country.

"The two prime ministers agreed on the need to expedite safe, speedy and sustainable repatriation of the displaced persons to their homes in the Rakhine State of Myanmar."

"They agreed on the need for greater efforts to be made to facilitate their return, including by improving security situation and socio-economic conditions in the Rakhine State of Myanmar," the joint statement said.

A joint statement said Modi appreciated the zero-tolerance policy of the Bangladesh government against terrorism and commended Hasina for her resolute efforts to ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

Both leaders reiterated their strong commitment to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terror.

-Inputs from PTI