V Krishnakanth Vellanki asked: Why should India provide grant and loans to Bangladesh while it remains silent on the issue of illegal infiltration and anti-India activities carried out from its soil?

Smruti S. Pattanaik replies: India's decision to provide grant and loan is going to benefit both India and Bangladesh. These grants and loans are for building roads and other communication networks that would facilitate transit to the north-eastern parts of India. Transit through Bangladesh has been a long standing request from India.

Under Awami League regime, action against anti-India activities has been taken. Some insurgent leaders have been arrested and handed over to India. Both the countries are working out mechanisms to address the issue of illegal migration as it includes illegal trafficking of women and children. Illegal migration affects India’s security and economic and social stability. In the absence of any mechanism to address this, the two governments agreed for joint border patrol which started last year in July. Apart from this, the BSF needs to be more vigilant to prevent unauthorised migration.