India wants Mutual Legal Assistance treaty with Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: India today said its interaction in legal matters with Bangladesh can be further strengthened if the two countries sign a mutual legal assistance agreement.

India's views on the issue were conveyed by Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to Chief Justice of Bangladesh Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha during a meeting here.

"The Minister for Law and Justice expressed the view that our mutual interactions in legal matters will be further strengthened if India and Bangladesh are able to have a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement," a Law Ministry release said.

Gowda today hosted a lunch for Justice Sinha here.

The Chief Justice of Bangladesh showed keen interest to train judicial officers of Bangladesh in Indian National Judicial Academy. He also expressed desire to further interact with representatives of the Indian Bar for good practices in the legal profession to be shared among members of the Bars of two the countries, the release said.

The Home Ministry is the nodal ministry for concluding Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties in criminal matters which are designed to facilitate measures of mutual assistance in investigation, prosecution and prevention of crime, execution of warrants, tracing, restraint, forfeiture or confiscation of proceeds and instruments of crime.

These agreements assume importance in combating transnational organised crimes, trans-border terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeit currency and smuggling of arms and explosives.

India has so far operationalised these treaties with 34 countries.