(a) whether any agreement was signed by India and Bangladesh in regard to B.S.F. and B.D.R. on March 25, 2002;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the sectors of the two countries likely to be benefited as a result of this agreement;
(d) whether joint guidelines of the year 1975 between India and Bangladesh have also been included in the said agreement; and
(e) if so, the details in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI I.D.SWAMI)
(a) to (e): No agreement was signed by India and Bangladesh in regard to Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on March 25, 2002. However, the Joint Record of Discussions of the Border Coordination Conference held during 22-25 March, 2002 at Dhaka was signed by the two Heads of the Border Guarding Forces of India and Bangladesh on 25.3.2002. The discussions, inter alia, encompassed the matters relating to trans-border crimes, infiltration, smuggling activities of North East Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh, handing/taking over of convicted nationals of either country along with the fresh proposal of coordinated/joint patrolling along the India-Bangladesh border. Since Joint Indo-Bangladesh Guidelines, 1975 is a bilateral agreement between the two countries, the violation/misinterpretation of these guidelines was also discussed in the meeting.