Calcutta, Oct. 28: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today expressed concern over cross-border infiltration and rising activities of extremists based in Bangladesh in a meeting with foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

“We have told him our per- ceptions, especially on the border issues,” chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb said this evening.

Deb termed it a “general discussion” where the foreign secretary was briefed about the existing scenario. “Pending issues” such as border demarcation, enclaves and immigration were also discussed.

“On his way from Bhutan, Menon stopped over to discuss the border situation and to seek our opinion and hear our views. It was a goodwill gesture on his part,” said a senior state official who was present at the meeting.

Menon said: “West Bengal is very important for us since it shares borders with three countries. We discussed our relations with the three neighbours at the meeting.”

State home secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray and external affairs official M.K. Singh also attended the meeting.

Menon, who has recently taken charge, called on Jyoti Basu at his Salt Lake house this morning before the meeting with the chief minister.

The chief secretary denied any discussions on the prevailing political scenario in Bangladesh. “The political situation was not part of our discussion. That is mainly the Centre’s concern.”

Deb said there has been no headway on the proposal to have secretary-level hotlines on both sides to share information and discuss day-to-day issues.

Roy had initiated talks on the proposal during his visit to Bangladesh a few months ago.