Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina seeks implementation of proposed Teesta agreement

The decision of signing a treaty in this regard was taken jointly nine years ago which is yet to be implemented, Bangladesh PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told a media briefing quoting PM Sheikh Hasina as saying during the talks between the two premiers.

Sheikh Hasina told her counterpart that the implementation of the proposed treaty appeared crucial as the people living along the Teesta river bank were suffering because of water shortage, he said.

She expressed concerns about the border incidents which she said had increased in recent times and requested her counterpart to look into the matter properly to reduce the incidences to zero level.

Karim said the Indian premier told Sheikh Hasina that India was committed for a “reasonable solution” to the water sharing issues involving all common rivers with Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Modi also acknowledged the issue of border incidents and said ground level cooperation will help keep a check on them.

The Bangladesh PMO spokesman said the Rohingya crisis also featured during the talks when Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh wanted New Delhi’s more active role in repatriating over one million forcibly displaced people back to Myanmar.

She said the return of these people at the earliest was needed since the lingering crisis could create grounds for their involvement in terrorist activities and drug trading.

“Sooner the better,” Karim quoted her as saying.

In response, he said, the Indian premier told Sheikh Hasina that his country wants sustainable return of the refugees in a sustainable manner.

The Bangladesh premier greeted Mr Modi for successfully launching the vaccination campaign particularly praising him for supplying the inoculates to other countries in the region as part of his “neighbourhood first” policy.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has nearly exhausted the first commercial consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine from India and hoped that the rest of the consignments would be delivered soon.

She also thanked the Indian Prime Minister for giving 12 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine as a gift to her country.

PM Modi said that Bangladesh and India are together facing the COVID-19 pandemic, a situation that prompted his country to send another consignment of 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccines and 109 life saving ambulances as gift.

The Bangladesh prime minister drew her counterpart’s attention to the indiscriminate imposition of anti-dumping duties which was creating unnecessary obstacles to the bilateral cooperation and sought Mr Modi’s quick intervention to resolve the issue.

The Bangladesh premier proposed enhanced joint cooperation to promote jute as an environment friendly fiber as the two countries were the biggest jute producing countries in the world.

So we need to cooperate more meaningfully for this sector, she said adding Dhaka extended an open invitation for foreign direct investment for Bangladesh’s state run jute mills under public-private partnership.

Hasina said Bangladesh is keen to use effectively the Indian lines of credit and put emphasis on axing ineffective projects from the list under the Indian credit.

She simultaneously sought the her Indian counterpart's aupport so the line of credit could be disbursed quickly for quick implementation of the projects and also emphasised on increased contacts between entreprenuers between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his desire to be a partner to launch the Bangabandhu-2 satellite.

Sheikh Hasina said start of Moitree Setu between Bangladesh and India has added a new dimension to cooperation in the communication sector and added that the Indian state Tripura can use Chattogram Airport alongside Chattogram and Mongla Ports.

Stating some routes to connect Bangladesh with Nepal and Bhutan, the premier expected India to consider the prospect for mutual benefits.

Sheikh Hasina also said that if the motor vehicles agreement among Bangladesh, India and Nepal is signed, all the three countries will benefit greatly.

While talking about regional connectivity, Sheikh Hasina sought India’s transit in case of bilateral agreement with Nepal and Bhutan or signing separate tripartite deals involving India.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting positively the proposal of Bangladesh for naming “Mujibnagar-Nadia Road” as Shadhinata Sharok.

PM Modi said India took a decision to establish “Bangabandhu Chair” in Delhi University in memory of Bangladesh’s founder as both the premiers reviewed the bilateral cooperation at different fields marking the 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He praised his Bangladeshi counterpart for the fast pace of development under her dynamic leadership.

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen were present at the meeting.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Bardhan Shringla, National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Dhoval and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Bikram Kumar Doraiswami joined the meeting as part of the Indian delegation