Friday, March 8, 2013

India-Bangladesh sign landmark extradition treaty

On January 28, 2013, India and Bangladesh signed a liberalised visa agreement and a landmark extradition treaty that would pave the way for the deportation of jailed ULFA ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia and other wanted “criminals”. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde signed the agreement with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir at the end of their bilateral talks, held in Dhaka.

The extradition treaty, however, would not be applicable for persons accused of offenses of political nature; only those with charges like murders, culpable homicide and other serious offenses would come under the purview of the deal. Offenders of small crimes, awarded with less than one year jail, will also not be wanted under the treaty.

The new visa pact, named revised travel arrangement, will remove restrictions on visit of each other's businesspersons, students, patients, senior citizens above 65 years and children below 12 years on the lines of the liberalised visa regime between India and Pakistan. Under the student visa, a person can avail one-year multiple entry travel document.

India has also agreed to waive the 60-day cooling off period for second visit by a Bangladeshi national. The restriction is at present applicable to citizens of Pakistan, China and some other countries.