Bangladesh and India are negotiating to finalise a number of deals expected to be signed during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka.
An inter-ministerial meeting will be held on the visit of Modi at the Foreign Ministry today.
The visit of Modi was confirmed after the constitution amendment bill to ratify Land Boundary Agreement in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha was passed recently. He is expected to arrive in Dhaka on a two-day visit on June 6.
Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh came to Dhaka in September in 2011.
Agreements
Negotiation for Coastal Shipping Agreement, Trade Agreement and Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) is almost finalised. Shipping secretaries of both the countries finalised the draft of the Coastal Shipping Agreement in New Delhi last month, said an official of the Foreign Ministry. “In the meeting, it was also decided that PIWTT will also be renewed for five years,” he said.
The commerce secretaries of the two countries also agreed to renew the Trade Agreement for five years but it is yet to be signed.
The Teesta deal will be discussed in the bilateral discussion and Bangladesh would push for it. “But it is less likely that it will be through this time,” said another official.
Both the countries are negotiating for signing second line of credit during Modi’s visit.
“A high level Indian delegation has recently visited Dhaka and discussed the issue with the Finance Ministry officials.
In addition, the countries are expected to renew the cultural agreement.
Source: Dhaka Tribune