Dhaka to hand wanted separatist leader to India

Despite trade disputes and water-sharing spats, the two South Asian neighbours made remarkable strides in security co-operation in recent years.
By Shahriar Sharif for Khabar South Asia in Dhaka
October 20, 2012

An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) member scans a stretch of the India-Bangladesh border August 13th on the outskirts of Agartala in India's northeastern state of Tripura. The two nations are finalising an extradition treaty allowing each to turn over wanted criminals and terrorists. [Jayanta Dey/Reuters]

Bangladesh and India are drawing closer to inking an extradition treaty that would formally enable them to hand over wanted criminals and terrorists sheltering in their respective countries. The home secretaries of India and Bangladesh held two days of talks in Dhaka Monday and Tuesday (October 15th-16th) to share final drafts of the long-awaited treaty.

But even without such formal mechanisms and despite their differences on many other fronts, the two neighbours have shown a willingness to co-operate on certain security issues because violence has affected both countries so deeply.

In late September, more than two weeks before the latest round of extradition talks, Bangladesh announced it planned to hand over wanted separatist leader Anup Chetia, who has been languishing in a Bangladeshi prison for more than a decade.

"We are going to repatriate Anup Chetia by this December, and the process has already started," Bangladesh Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir recently confirmed to Khabar South Asia.

Leader of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Chetia was arrested in Dhaka in 1997 and sentenced in 2000 to five years in prison for illegal entry and possession of fake passports. He has remained in custody in Bangladesh ever since.

A member of the Indian delegation attending the recent talks in Dhaka voiced his country's pleasure at the decision.

"We are happy with the proactive attitude of Bangladesh towards countering terrorism in this region," Shambhu Singh, joint secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, told Khabar. It has finally agreed to hand over Anup Chetia to us by the end of 2012 and sought some time to finalise and sign the extradition treaty with India."

Even if the treaty is not signed by December due to technical and legal complications, Chetia's transfer could well go ahead via an informal mechanism.

He could be released along the border and immediately picked up by the Indian Border Security force (BSF) members, who would be alerted beforehand by Bangladesh authorities.

This unwritten formula has been applied in the past two years to more than two dozen wanted terrorists handed over to the authorities in both countries.

To reciprocate Dhaka's gesture, New Delhi expressed its willingness to deal with Bangladeshi fugitives living in India.

"We're also working to catch the criminals and will take appropriate action," BSF chief U. K. Bansal told reporters in Dhaka last month after meeting his Bangladesh counterpart.

Bangladesh has particularly sought the extradition of Risaldar Moslehuddin and Captain Majed, both believed to be hiding in India. In 1998 they were sentenced to death in absentia along with ten others for murdering Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founder and father of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Although bilateral disputes over trade tariffs, border issues and water sharing remain unresolved, Dhaka and New Delhi have made considerable progress in fighting terrorism.

"Terrorism is not an India or Bangladesh problem. It is now an issue afflicting the entire South Asia and even the world," Mohiuddin Ahmed, a former diplomat, told Khabar.

"It is in their own self-interest that they have come together to fight the menace, despite the fact that they have not been able to resolve some major bilateral issues."

Another area where the two countries have made some progress is in fighting drug smuggling. In recent times, India, acceding to Bangladesh's request, has dismantled many illegal factories along its border manufacturing Phensedyl, a syrup widely used as an intoxicant by Bangladeshi youth.

"We gave them a list of 79 illegal Phensedyl manufacturing factories across the border last year and India has dismantled most of them," Mohammad Iqbal, Director General of Narcotics Control Department, told Khabar.

He said this year another list of 62 such factories has been given to Indian authorities, who promised to take action.

"Their co-operation has really helped us a lot to crack down on Phensedyl use among the youth largely because the smuggling of the syrup has been drastically reduced," Iqbal told Khabar.

Chandan Das in Jamshedpur contributed to this article.

Dhaka to hand wanted separatist leader to India 

Family Matters Blog:

Program Eases Voting for Military Families

By Lisa Daniel American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2012 - With Election Day just 54 days away, federal voting officials want to ensure that service members and their families are prepared for their votes to be counted. The Federal Voting Assistance Program has made the voting process easier than ever for Americans serving overseas, Pam Mitchell, the program's acting director, says. The website includes a tab for each state's deadlines for registering to vote and casting absentee ballots. It also has online registration and absentee ballot assistance, and includes a mobile app. "We firmly believe that voting assistance for our absentee voters is absolutely the best that it's ever been," Mitchell said at a Sept. 5 Pentagon news briefing. "There are a lot of tools in our arsenal to help those voters both register, get an absentee ballot and to exercise their right to vote." If you prefer to go in person, there are 221 installation voting offices, all of which the program supports. "We've spent a lot of time reaching out to every single one," Mitchell said. The Military Postal Service Agency provides free, expedited ballot delivery and ballot tracking to your local election office for overseas-based service members and their families. Go to your local post office or postal clerk, use the Label 11 DOD form on your absentee ballot envelope and mail it. Go towww.usps.com to track the status of your ballot, according to the program's website. If you haven't received your ballot by Oct. 6, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, available on the website, as back-up. For each office for which you vote, write in either a candidate's name or their party designation, the website says. For additional help with the absentee voting process, contact FVAP at vote@fvap.gov or call 1-800-438-8683, DSN 425-1584 (CONUS)/312-425-1584 (OCONUS). It also is available on Facebook and you can follow on Twitter at @FVAP. "Our goal is to make sure that anyone who wants to vote has the resources and tolls they need form anywhere in the world to successfully exercise that right," she said.

Related Sites: Family Matters blog

Former Navy Officer

Continues to Beat Odds After Stroke 

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.   American Forces Press Service LONDON, Sept. 9, 2012 - Many U.S. Paralympic athletes have persevered through tough circumstances and refused to give up after acquiring a disability. Steven Peace, center, a Navy veteran and 2012 U.S. Paralympic road cyclist, rides his first lap through a tough, looping course at the Brands Hatch racing track for the 24-kilometer road race during the Paralympic Games in London, Sept. 8, 2012. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.  Former Navy Lt. Cmdr. Steven Peace is no exception. He continues to beat the odds after a stroke left him without the use of the right side of his body.Following his 24-kilometer cycling road race at the Brands Hatch track venue here yesterday, where he placed fifth out of 19 competitors, Peace shared his story of personal triumph. "Five years ago, I had a stroke," Peace said. "My right side was paralyzed, and I had to do something to keep in shape, being in the military." Peace was 24 years old when he suffered the debilitating stroke at his San Diego home. He was not discovered for 14 hours, and as a result, he experienced loss of strength in his right arm and leg. "I spent 16 years in the military," he said. "I had planned on making it my career. And then the stroke [happened]. They kept me as long as they could – two more years." After he left the Navy, Peace picked up cycling after learning about the sport during rehabilitation at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. The former lieutenant commander learned of Operation Rebound, a program designed for injured veterans, and took up the sport. The U.S. Naval Academy graduate spent five years in Japan during his 16-year Navy career, which also took him to San Diego; Norfolk, Va.; Annapolis, Md.; and Monterey, Calif. The Navy veteran said he faced many challenges as he committed to cycling. "I had some difficulty with my bike," Peace said. "[Since] my right side is not used, I had to find a way to shift all of the controls." Because he doesn't have the use of his right side, the cyclist added, he has to ride off-balance. "Two years ago, I wouldn't have been able to ride this course," he said. "But I slowly built up to it. I put on different things on my bike, and I pretty much said I could ride it." Peace offered his advice to other wounded warriors and veterans who may find themselves doubting their abilities because of illness or injury. "Don't ever give up," he said. "You never know how good you are until you get out there and you try to do it." Peace described his time at the 2012 Paralympic Games as an "unbelievable" experience. "I never thought I would have the opportunity to represent my country like this," Peace said. "It's great, and I love the USA."

Related Sites: U.S. Paralympics  Special Report: Military Paralympians

Punarjot organizes State Level function//Subhash Malik*

Mass Thanks Ceremony of 299  Eye Donors of 2012 

Punarjot Eye Bank Society organizes a State level special mass thanks ceremony of Eye Donors of 2012 at Merry Land Resort for giving gift of sight to corneal blinds.


Mr. Subhash Malik, Hon. Secretary of the society welcomed the chief guest Bhagat Chunni Lal, Hon.  Cabinet Minister, Medical Education & Research, Pb. and other guests came from different parts of Punjab. Mr. Malik give the details of work done by the society and thank the eye donor families to restore the vision of needy on selfless basis. He also told that our society is no.1 in collection and transplantation of cornea in Northern India.


At the occasion the chief guest, Bhagat Chunni Lal, Hon. Cabinet Minister, Medical Education & Research, Pb inaugurated the event by lightning Punarjot lamp and all candles were ignited from Punarjot lamp in sweet memory of all eye donors from almost whole of Punjab in 2012. Hon. Minister appreciated the work done by the society by giving the facility of free corneal transplantation and announced a grant of Rs. 2 lacs to the society for this noble cause of eye donation.


Dr. Ramesh, Medical Director of the society while thanking the chief guest told that Para-medical staff can play a vital role to spread the message of eye donation at the time grief to the family as most of the family forgets the eyes even the diseased have pledged during lifetime. Dr. Ramesh thanked the electronic and print media for their support in this noble cause. Dr. Ramesh thanked the eye donation families, motivators and different by different associates working in the eye donation movement in different parts of Punjab.


At this occasion students of college of Nursing DMCH & CMCH, Guru Teg Bahadur college of Nursing, Dr. Mohan Kaur institute of Nursing, Arvindoo College of commerce and Management and All Saints college of medical sciences participated in the Declamation, Skit and Rangoli competition on the theme of Eye Donation under the dynamic guidance of Dr. Ranbir Singh Sekhon. Dr. S.M. Bhatti, Principal, CMCH and Dr. G. S. Bajwa, HOD (Eye), DMC Ludhiana selected the winners of the competition.


The function was attended by Sh. R.K. Verma, commissioner and Sh. P.S. Bhullar, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Sh. Parveen Bansal, President BJP, Distt. Ludhiana, S. Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, counselor, S. Inderjit Singh Gill, owner of the resort, Dr. Subash Bansal, President, Optical association Punjab, Mohd. Sadique and Hakam Bakhtariwala renown singers.

*Mr. Subhash Malik is contributing his services to the humanity as the Hon. Secretary of The

Punarjot Eye Bank Society. His Contact Number is: 93575-06505

Upcoming U.S., Israeli Exercise Underscores Relations

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2012 - U.S. and Israeli forces will team up this fall for Austere Challenge 12, a major exercise that provides important training for the defense of both nations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.
The Israeli defense ministry requested the bilateral, ballistic missile defense exercise be moved from May to late fall, and the drill remains the largest of its kind between the nations, Little said.
"The exercise has not changed in scope and will include the same types of systems as planned," he said. "All deployed systems will be fully operational with their associated operators, including the missile interceptors."

The United States will have fewer personnel in the exercise than originally planned because of other operations already scheduled in the same timeframe, Little said.
The press secretary added that the bonds between U.S. and Israeli forces are as strong as ever.
"As the minister of defense, Ehud Barak, has repeatedly said, the U.S.-Israel defense relationship is stronger than it has ever been, and we couldn't agree more," he said. "This exercise is a tangible sign of our mutual trust and defense of our two nations."
 
Biographies:
George Little

Qaddafi's Female Bodyguards | Official Trailer

National Anthem

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and newly commissioned Marine Corps 2nd lieutenants stand for the national anthem at the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School commissioning ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., Aug. 10, 2012.