India and Bangladesh are holding two sector-level meetings of bordering districts in Tripura to discuss smuggling, infiltration and boundary issues. The first meeting under Cluster V level was held here on Wednesday.

West Tripura District Magistrate Sandeep Mahatme led the Indian team of officials while Fazal Mir, Deputy Commissioner of Comilla district in southeast Bangladesh, headed his side. Bangladesh districts of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria and Comilla make up Cluster V in the two-sided arrangement mooted by two neighbouring countries.

Meeting of Cluster 6 with Bangladesh districts of Feni, Chittagong and Khagrachhari will be at Udaipur, headquarters of Gomati district in south Tripura tomorrow.

Bangladesh’s Comilla district Deputy Commissioner Fazal Mir said they have discussed issues that concern both countries. Prevention of smuggling of contraband, especially narcotics, border crime, illegal cross border movement, organised human trafficking and restoration of damaged border demarcation pillars were on the agenda of meeting, he stated.

Senior police officials from districts of both countries attended the meetings.

Dr Mahatme informed that the meetings had been annually taking place alternately. Last year, the meetings were held in Bangladesh.

Officials said a decision on join action programme to curb border-oriented crime was adopted on Wednesday’s meeting.