Dhaka, Jan 23 (UNB)-Bangladesh and India will form a Coordination Committee with the representatives of law-enforcing agencies and intelligence wings of the two countries for coordinated action in the combat against international terrorism, organized crime and cross-border drug trade.

The Coordination Committee will be constituted under the aegis of the Home Ministries of the two countries as per terms of an agreement signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi, it was officially announced here Saturday.

The Agreement on Combating International Terrorism, Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking is aimed at enhancing cooperation among the law-enforcing agencies and intelligence wings of the two countries to deal with international terrorism and drug smuggling, investigation and completion of trial in such crimes.

“Under the agreement, the two countries, subject to their domestic laws and rules, will assist each other in preventing international terrorism, resisting smuggling of drugs and chemical products, including psychotropic substances,” Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes told reporters at the Foreign Ministry.

To fend off such criminal acts, the coordination body will extend cooperation in investigation, trial and prevention.

However, any activity that may hamper country’s sovereignty and security or contradict one country’s existing laws and rules would not come under the purview of this agreement.

Under another treaty on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, an accused convicted of criminal offences will serve punishment in their respective country. The convicts who will have to serve a prison sentence for more than six months or the accused persons having the life sentence and is not facing any other criminal cases will come under this agreement.

But those who are sentenced under any army act or those who are given the death sentence or who are facing any other case will not come under the scope of this agreement.

This agreement will come into effect only when an accused concerned will write with own hand or by a person appointed by him for his transfer to his own country.

The two countries also signed Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Bangladesh and India.

“All the three agreements will be operational after ratification by the two countries. These agreements could be scrapped at six months’ advance notice by either side,” said the foreign secretary.