Modi promised early Teesta deal: PM

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during his recent Dhaka visit assured of signing the Teesta water sharing deal with Bangladesh as early as possible and promised to bring down border killings to a zero level, says prime minister Sheikh Hasina. ‘The Indian prime minister has given priority to the human aspects of the issue of water sharing of the common rivers and put it above politics alongside assuring to sign the Teesta deal as soon as possible,’ Hasina told parliament on Wednesday. The prime minister revealed this in reply to a tabled question raised by treasury bench member Farhad Hossain during her question hour session in the house. She also said Modi agreed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in power and energy sector, including the export of more electricity to Bangladesh from India. During Modi and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit, Hasina said, there had been a very fruitful bilateral discussion between the two neighbouring countries. ‘Our talks were constructive and we understood the mutual concern and priority places.’ She said open discussions on all issues of bilateral aspects were held with the main focus on security, border management, power and energy, inter-connectivity, sub-regional cooperation, water sharing of common rivers, including the Teesta, water resources management, trade, commerce and investment, development cooperation and international and regional cooperation, public communication and cultural cooperation. She said the longstanding multiple problems and human aspects of the enclave people are going to be solved permanently through the ratification of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and 2011 Protocol. The prime minister said Indian president Pranab Mukherjee signed the ‘Instrument of Ratification’ to this effect on May 25. ‘I myself signed the ‘Instrument of Ratification’ on June 5 this year,’ she said adding, ‘We have identified the issues to implement the landmark LBA and fixed a timeframe in this regard.’ Hasina said the two leaders reiterated their commitments to maintain peace along the border and maintain mutual cooperation. ‘We are pledge-bound about the zero tolerance policy against terrorism and militancy,’ she said. She hoped that the decision for setting up special economic zone only for the Indian investors would help reduce trade deficit between the two countries as well as increase the investment to a significant number. Besides, she said, with the proper utilization of the new $ 2 billion Indian line of credit, various development projects would be undertaken in the country’s communication infrastructure, education, treatment and ICT sectors. The prime minister said she and the Indian PM agreed that inter-connectivity was very crucial for the development of the region, not for only the two countries. Bangladesh and India have inked 22 deals and MoUs, related to mutual cooperation of the two countries. She said the deals and MoUs include economic cooperation, trade and investment, security, infrastructural development, education, science, information technology and culture. The more expanded area of cooperation is a manifestation of deepened relations between the two next-door neighbours. News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net