(a) whether in its Annual Report for 1999-2000 his Ministry is silent over infiltration from across the border;
(b) if so, whether India had ever taken up the matter formally with Bangladesh;
(c) if so, the level thereof;
(d) whether India had expressed its unhappiness over the changing demographic pattern in Indian States bordering Bangladesh due to this heavy influx; and
(e) if so, the reaction of the Government of Bangladesh thereto?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR EXTENAL AFFAIRS(SHRI AJIT KUMAR PANJA)
(a) to (e) The Ministry`s Annual Report for 1999-2000 mentions the ongoing
institutional dialogue on various issues relating to border management between the Border Security fierce and the Home Secretaries of the two countries; the problem of illegal infiltration into India is one of the issues that is regularly addressed in this dialogue.
The Government of India has conveyed to the Government of Bangladesh its concern about the seriousness and magnitude of the problem of infiltration and illegal migration at the political, diplomatic and official levels. This issue was raised this year at the India - Bangladesh Home Secretary-level talks in Delhi in April 2000. It was again taken up at the Director General-level talks between the Border Security force and the Bangladesh Rifles held in Dhaka from October 21-25, 2000. As friendly neighbours, both countries are committed to resolving all bilateral issues through dialogue.