An 18-member delegation led by Director General (DG) of BSF RS Mooshahary arrived in Dhaka yesterday to attend the conference.

DG of BDR Major General Mohammad Jahangir Alam Chowdhury received his counterpart at the Zia International Airport.

In the meeting Bangladesh will raise issues like camps and fences within 150 yards of international boundary, push-in of Indian-born Bangalees, killing of Bangladeshi civilians by the BSF and Indian criminals, handing over of Bangladeshi criminals sheltered in India and anti-Bangladesh camps in India, home ministry sources said.

Besides, abduction of Bangladeshi citizens, animal lifting, arms and drugs smuggling, barring development works of Bangladesh by the BSF, illegal constructions like roads within 150 yards of border, security and movement of Bangladeshi citizens on Tinbigha corridor, and other border crimes will come up during the talks.

Heavy gunshots were exchanged between the BDR and BSF over fencing in different border areas even in last month.

Bangladesh claims that there are over 50 anti-Bangladesh insurgent camps in India, from where criminals are conducting operations and smuggling arms into Bangladesh territory and providing arms and training to the criminals, especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Despite repeated requests by Bangladesh, the Indian government has not taken any action against the anti-Bangladesh insurgents who have been operating from India including the so-called Swadhin Bangabhumi activists, home ministry sources said.

Around 150 most wanted criminals from Bangladesh have taken shelter in India, and Bangladesh will ask India to hand over them, the sources added.

According to human rights organisation Odhikar, some 26 Bangladeshis were killed by BSF and Indian miscreants between January 1 to April 11 this year while BSF pushed in a total of 75 Bangla speaking Indians to Bangladesh during the same period.

Besides, 79 Bangladeshis were victims of human rights violation by BSF and miscreants in last three months and 11 days. Moreover, 14 Bangladeshis were injured and two arrested by the BSF while there were 34 kidnapping, one rape and two missing incidents in the same period, the Odhikar report added.

The Indian delegation for the DG-level conference comprises officials of home and foreign ministries, frontier inspector generals and staff officers of BSF headquarters.

A 22-member delegation of officials drawn from ministries of home and foreign affairs, land records and survey, Bangladesh-India Joint Rivers Commission and high officials of the BDR will represent the Bangladesh side led by the DG of BDR.

The last such conference was held in New Delhi in September 2004.