Wednesday, April 20 2005 17:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bangladesh Government has assured India that it would fully investigate the killing of (Border Security Force) BSF officer Jeewan Kumar and fix responsibility for the crime, Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the Rajya Sabha today (Apr 20, 2005).

"Bangladesh Home Minister spoke to me and expressed regret over the incident. The matter will be investigated, responsibility fixed and action will be taken against the perpetrators," Patil said when Opposition members raised the issue during Zero Hour.

The Bangladesh Home Minister gave this assurance, Patil said adding Government would take all steps for early completion of the border fencing.

While the border fencing has been completed in the western sector, there were some difficulties in the eastern sector because of the difficult terrain, he said.

"Our efforts are that the fencing should be completed as early as possible," he said.

To the demand that this matter be taken up at the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), Patil said it being a bilateral issue, he wondered whether this could be taken up there.

He said adequate compensation would be provided to families of BSF personnel killed or injured in border incidents. Government would not hesitate bend rules, if necessary.

The issue was raised by senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) member Pramod Mahajan who said Government should take steps to check infiltration from Bangladesh which has changed demography of some of the States in the eastern region.

It was regrettable that the Government was not paying adequate attention to the eastern sector and was focusing only on western sector, he said.