DHAKA, Sept 2: Dhaka has decided to request New Delhi to take measures to stop "anti-Bangladesh elements" from operating on Indian soil and hunt down Bangladeshi criminals who have taken shelter there , highly placed sources in the government said on Wednesday.

The request will be made at the home secretary-level meeting scheduled in Dhaka for Sept 16 and 17. An inter-ministerial preparatory meeting was held on Wednesday with Home Secretary Omar Faruque in the chair.

Representatives from the foreign, law, justice and land ministries attended the meeting. "Bangladesh will want to know what initiatives India has taken against the 39 anti-Bangladeshi camps active on Indian soil and against the criminals who have taken refuge there," an official said.

The list of the 39 camps was handed over to Indian authorities during a meeting of border officials earlier this year in New Delhi.