Dhaka-Delhi border deal 'close'

The two sides regularly exchanged fire over the past decade

Bangladesh and India say they are close to solving frontier issues after five days of talks in Dhaka between border officials of the two countries.

India said it had requested the destruction of more than 140 Indian rebel camps operating in Bangladesh.

Delhi says Dhaka has given assurances that it will destroy bases of Harkatul Jihad Islamist militants.

Bangladesh says it has asked India to hand over some 1,600 wanted criminals who are taking refuge there.

Three were returned this month and correspondents say more are likely to be sent back in the future.

The two countries share a long and porous border which is not properly demarcated.

Over the past decade they have regularly exchanged shelling and small arms fire over the frontier.

Correspondents say that such incidents have not seriously interfered with generally friendly relations between Delhi and Dhaka.

However, tensions increased last year when India began fencing off the 4,000km (2,500 mile) border to keep out what it described as illegal immigrants and "cross-border insurgents".