The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Wednesday told the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, that his efforts were on to implement the Land Boundary Agreement and to sign the Teesta water sharing deal with Bangladesh as soon as possible.
He gave the assurance when Hasina raised the two outstanding issues and wanted to know the progress during a meeting with him at Hotel Soaltee in Kathmandu on the sideline of the 18th SAARC Summit in the afternoon.
The meeting lasted for half an hour started from 3:30pm (Bangladesh time).
Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, media adviser to prime minister Sheikh Hasina, at a briefing at the media centre in the evening told reporters that Indian prime minister informed her counterpart that his government was working sincerely to resolve of the two pending issues.
‘We are trying to build consensus on the issues at home and would soon go for ratifying the Land Boundary Agreement. We are also trying to reach in a consensus on signing of the water sharing deal,’ Iqbal quoted Modi as saying.
Bangladesh had long been pressing India to ratify the long overdue 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and the Land Boundary Protocol of 2011.
The Teesta water-sharing agreement has featured in talks since the Awami League government returned to power in 2009. Although the Congress-led government in New Delhi went ahead with the deal, it was blocked by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
A constitutional amendment required to pass the land boundary bill was awaiting passage in the LokSabha – the lower house of Indian parliament.
Iqbal, who was present at the meeting, said that the Indian prime minister informed his counterpart that West Bengal chief minister would not go against the water sharing deal.
The prime minister Sheikh Hasina stressed on the need for reducing poverty and fighting against extremism and terrorism in the South Asian countries.
The Indian prime minister agreed with the Bangladesh prime minister and assured her of working together to fight against extremism and poverty and continuation of exchanging of intelligence reports of Bangladesh and India about the recent bomb blast at Burdwan in West Bengal, he said.
Iqbal said that the Indian prime minister put emphasis on strengthening and developing the bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries for their developments.
Modi said he would soon visit Bangladesh.
As for the meeting between Pakistan prime minister and Bangladesh prime minister, Iqbal Sobhan told reporters that the Pakistan prime minister paid a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina with his delegation at Hotel Soaltee.
Both the prime minister discussed on the issues relating to politics, extremism and power and they agreed on the importance of continuation of democratic process for the development, he said.
Asked about the war crimes issue, Iqbal said that there were no talks regarding war crimes issue between the two prime ministers.
Hasina invited Pakistan prime minister to visit Bangladesh. In reply, Pakistan prime minister said that he would soon visit Bangladesh after holding discussion on the matter between the government-level.
Source: Newage
