India and Bangladesh agreed on Sunday to "expeditiously" hand over criminals taking shelter in each other's territories and take action against militant outfits based on "real time and actionable information".

India has been pushing for an extradition treaty with the neighbouring nation but a joint statement issued after a two-day annual meeting of the Home Secretaries of the two countries did not mention any such arrangement.

The two sides, which discussed a wide range of bilateral issues including cross-border security and terrorism, agreed to "continue efforts" to track down criminals who took shelter in either country and send them back "expeditiously".

"Both sides agreed to take action against militants, insurgent outfits and their leaders on the basis of real time and actionable information to be exchanged between the nodal points," according to the statement issued at a joint press meet by Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Karim.

The two countries also decided that the verification process of "released prisoners of one country held in the prisons of the other country" should be expedited and modalities in this regard will be worked out.

Asked to explain the decisions on exchange of prisoners or "criminals" hiding in each others territory, Gupta said they intended to "systematise" the process through treaties but "we should be able to cooperate with each other (beforehand) even in the absence such arrangements".

Karim agreed with him saying both the countries already extradited several such elements already in recent months but added, "we cant return anyone who is still in court custody".

During the recent BDR-BSF meeting, Bangladesh handed over an updated list of 1,648 Bangladeshi criminals hiding in India, while the Indian side gave a list of 464 Indian criminals.

According to the joint statement, Dhaka sought India's cooperation to take "preventive measures against anti-Bangladesh outfits based in India. The Indian side also sought Bangladesh's cooperation to trace the presence of Indian insurgent groups allegedly based in Bangladesh."

Bangladesh's policy is not to allow its territory to be used by anti-Indian insurgents, Karim said.

"We will inform the Bangladesh authorities about the terrorist or anti-Bangladesh outfits in India (and) discourage anti-Bangladesh political activities in line with our country's policy," Gupta said.

The two Home Secretaries said killing of civilians at the frontier dominated their talks as they agreed to put in serious efforts to reduce such incidents.

"This is an issue which needed much-coordinated patrolling and intensive communication between the two border forces, we will be working very seriously on that issue of casualties in borders," Gupta told the press conference.

He also referred to the decision of the recently-held talks between the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Border Security Force (BSF) suggesting joint visit of vulnerable areas in the frontlines.

"International norms are there to deal with trespassers, efforts would be made to reduce killings in the frontiers so that things are done according to those norms," Karim said.

On the issue of construction of fence within 150 yards of the border, Bangladesh stated the matter will be further examined including joint visits to the frontier. During his stay here, Gupta called on army chief General Moeen U Ahmed and Home Adviser Major General (retd) M A Matin.