Modi gets transit boost

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi began a two-day state visit to Bangladesh on Saturday with an emphasis on multiple transit facilities but set aside the issue of sharing waters of the river Teesta.The two countries signed and exchanged 22 instruments, including four agreements, three protocols, 14 memorandums of understanding and one letter of consent on various matters on the first day of the visit.Modi, like former Indian prime ministers and dignitaries, renewed the pledge for signing the much expected agreement on Teesta water.‘Connectivity by road, rail, rivers, sea, transmission lines, petroleum pipelines and digital links will increase,’ Modi said at a joint press briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka on Saturday evening.‘Bangladesh’s decision to allow transit of power equipment and foodgrain to the northeast [of India] echoes the strength of your [Bangladesh] human values and our shared economic opportunities,’ he said.With the support of state governments in India, he said, ‘We can reach a fair solution on Teesta and Feni rivers’.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in her brief statement, stressed the need for implementing the agreements and fulfilling the commitments made by the two sides. ‘It is important to translate our joint statements into reality,’ she said.The two prime ministers made the statements after holding a one-on-one meeting for about 25 minutes, official talks and signing and exchange of the instruments between the two sides.The two countries exchanged instruments of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 and protocol of 2011 and letters on modalities for implementation of the LBA and the protocol.The two sides signed separate agreements on bilateral trade, coastal shipping and bilateral cooperation between BSTI of Bangladesh and BIS of India on cooperation in the field of standardisation.

Separate agreements and relevant protocols were also signed on operation of passenger bus services between Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati and Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala.Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited signed an agreement for leasing of international bandwidth for internet by Bangladesh at Akhaura.A protocol on inland waterways transit and trade and a MoU on use of Chittagong and Mongla seaports were also signed.The two sides signed a MoU for extending a new line of credit worth $2 billion to Bangladesh by India.Separate MoUs were signed on cooperation between coast guards of the two countries, preventing human trafficking, preventing of smuggling of counterfeit  currency, blue economy and maritime cooperation in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, establishment of Indian Economic Zone and to implement a project under India Endowment for Climate Change of SAARC.Dhaka University and Rajshahi University signed two separate MoUs with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Jamia Millia Islamia of India respectively.Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority of Bangladesh and Life Insurance Corporation of India signed a consent letter.The two prime ministers and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee witnessed the signing and the exchange of the instruments.Hasina and Modi jointly flagged off bus services on Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati routes.In the official talks, Modi led a 12-member official delegation that includes, among others, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, national security adviser Ajit Doval, foreign secretary S Jaishankar and Indian high commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran.Hasina was flanked, among others, by  finance minister AMA Muhith, industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed,  foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, the prime minister’s adviser Gowher Rizvi, foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque and Bangladesh high commissioner in India Syed Muazzem Ali.A special Indian Air Force business jet, Rajdoot, decorated with national flags of Bangladesh and India on its front, carrying Modi landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after 10:00am.A red carpet was rolled out to welcome him. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina received Modi at the VVIP Tarmac. He was given a 19-gun salute and guard of honour.After completing other ceremonial functions, Modi drove to Savar and paid respect to the martyrs of the 1971 War of Liberation at the National Martyrs’ Memorial.He paid tributes to the memories of Bangladesh’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi. Redwan Mujib Siddique Boby, grandson of Mujib and son of his youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana, and his wife Peppi Siddique welcomed Modi to the museum which was Mujib’s private residence. The guest visited different parts of the house during his half-an-hour stay there. Modi stood for sometime on the balcony upstairs from where Bangabandhu often used to address people waiting outside during the pre-independence period.

Modi placed wreaths, observed a minute of silence, signed visitors’ book at both Savar and Dhanmondi. He planted a sapling at Savar.Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee separately called on Modi before he left Sonargaon hotel for the PMO.Modi is scheduled to visit Dhakeswari Temple and Ramakrishna Mission in the capital today. He will attend several programmes at the new chancery complex of the Indian High Commission at Baridhara.He will call on the president Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban. The president will host a luncheon in honour of the guest.Modi will receive the Award of Liberation War Honour on behalf of Atal Behari Vajpayee for the latter’s role during the war as well as for playing a role in developing strong ties with Bangladesh as foreign minister and prime minister of India.Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia will call on Modi this afternoon at Sonargaon hotel.Raushan Ershad, opposition leader in parliament, and several leaders of left leaning political parties will also call on Modi at the hotel.Modi will deliver a speech for public at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 6:30pm.Modi is scheduled to leave Dhaka late in the evening concluding his 35 hours visit.

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