Bangladesh PM arrives in Delhi on maiden visit

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New Delhi on Sunday (Jan 10) night on her maiden visit, which India sees as “a path-breaking and historic opportunity” to forge a “new and forward-looking” relationship amid hopes that its security concerns would be addressed.

Ms. Hasina was accorded a warm welcome at the Indira Gandhi International Airport where she was received by Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Ms. Hasina will hold talks on Monday to discuss the entire range of bilateral relations, particularly focusing on issues like security, terrorism, border-related aspects, connectivity, trade and investment and cooperation in infrastructure building.

Three agreements to fight terror, organised crime and drug trafficking and a pact on sharing power will be the highlight of the visit during which India is expected to make every effort to give a major push to the bilateral ties.

The accords to be signed are Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons and Agreement on Combating International Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking. The two countries will also sign an MoU on cooperation in the power sector for import and export of electricity to the tune of over 900 million units per annum depending on availability, need and price.

Ms. Hasina, who took over in January last year, will also receive the prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize on Jan 12.

“The visit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh promises to be a path-breaking one and gives both countries a historic opportunity to build a new and forward-looking relationship,” the Foreign Secretary said just before Ms. Hasina’s arrival on four-day visit. Ms. Rao said India was committed to working with government of Bangladesh to build on historically and traditionally close links and “open new vistas” in bilateral relations.

“We seek to revive those physical and emotional links which remain disrupted since Independence,” Ms. Rao said. “We will also seek their (Bangladesh’s) understanding and cooperation on our security and connectivity needs,” she said.

India has recently been able to nab a number of North East insurgents, including ULFA chief Arabinda Rajkhowa, who have been taking shelter in Bangladesh for decades and this is seen as a result of cooperation from the Hasina government. Dhaka has already taken a number of discreet measures to deny safe haven to north-east insurgents, which is reflected by the arrest of some top ULFA leaders like Arabinda Rajkhowa. Reciprocating these gestures, sources said India is ready to address Bangladesh’s concerns with regard to trade barriers as also issues related to security. India has been looking “sensitively” at issues relating to tariffs on goods from Bangladesh and has made a provision for duty-free import of eight million pieces of garments.

India and Bangladesh have agreed to develop mechanisms to hasten the process of verification of nationality of prisoners lodged in jails of either country, particularly of those who have completed their sentences, to enable their early repatriation, the sources said.

A water sharing agreement is also the cards. After the Ganges water treaty in 1996, there has been no movement on this hugely emotive and political issue. Talks were held last week after a gap of seven years on the water sharing issue. Bangladesh is looking for a time bound commitment to resolving the dispute over the Teesta river waters. India is also planning to extend a 500 million dollar line of credit for railway infrastructure to Bangladesh.

- Asian Tribune -