All deals with Bangladesh to be implemented: Pranab
Dhaka, May 6 (UNB) - Indian Finance Minister Parnaba Mukherjee has said his country is committed to implementing all agreements signed by Bangladesh and India during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka in September last.
“There’s been some delay, but these (deals) will be implemented soon,” he said during a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban on Sunday.
Pranab Mukherjee told the Prime Minister that a subcommittee under the Joint River Commission will be formed to analyse the proposed Tipaimukh Dam and inform the government of the outcome to remove misunderstanding from public minds about the project.
He said all will get due share of the water of all the rivers coming down from the Himalayas.
On bilateral trade, the Indian Finance Minister said New Delhi has already granted duty-free access of 46 Bangladeshi items to the Indian market to reduce the widening trade gap.
PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the press after the meeting.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hoped that all the pending issues between Bangladesh and India will be resolved at an early date.
Observing that both countries have some domestic political compulsions which make some choices difficult, Hasina said her government has taken several bold decisions vis-à-vis relations with India, particularly on security issues, granting transit, access to Chittagong and Mongla ports.
“Bangladesh hopes the Indian government will also be able to demonstrate political will in addressing pending issues and irritants,” she said.
In this connection, she stressed the need for early ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement 1974 and its Protocol signed during the visit of Dr Manmohan Singh for a satisfactory resolution to and implementation of the decisions on demarcation of land boundary, exchange of enclaves and areas in adverse possession.
Hasina also hoped that the government of India would make an effort for expediting the signing of an agreement for the sharing of waters of the Teesta River.
She noted that the issue assumed a greater political and emotive significance and further delay could make it even more difficult for the two countries to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Hasina mentioned that apart of a select group of people who follow developments in Indian political circles, most people in Bangladesh do not understand the Center-State relations or the dynamic of coalition politics. “It’s easy for them to misunderstand the intent of the government of India over delay in the conclusion of the Teesta Agreement.”
In this context, she said the issue of constructing Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River and the inter-linking of rivers project have become the issue of great concern for the general public in Bangladesh.
Regarding the killings of Bangladeshis along the border, Hasina appreciated the move of the Indian government and said there is also a need for greater sensitivity from the Indian side responding to such concerns raised by Bangladesh.
She further noted that there has been some forward movement on cooperation in the hydro-power sector at the sub-regional level, such as exchanging of lists of projects and composition of working groups and for import of power from Tripura.
Hasina said the high-level exchange should continue since it allows the leadership to understand each other’s views and perceptions on issues of common interest and calibrate means of resolving them.
The Prime Minister thanked the Indian government for extending duty-free access to all products from Bangladesh under Safta except for 25 banned items.
She expressed her satisfaction at the small but significant movement forward that has taken place, including granting of 24-hour unfettered access to Bangladesh nationals across the Tin Bigha Corridor, laying of electric cables across Tin Bigha corridor allowing electrification of Angorpota-Dahogram, operationalisation of the SOPs for movement of trucks carrying bilateral cargo for Nepal and India, opening of Border haat at Kurigram-Meghalaya, movement of ODC, trial run of bulk cargo under PIWTT, signing of joint venture agreement for setting up the coal-based power plant at Bagerhat, signing of PPA for the purchase of 250 MW power from west Bengal.
Deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Home Minister Shahara Khatun, PM’s advisers Gowher Rizvi, Dr Mashiur rahman, Dr Modasser Ali, Foreign Secretary Misarul Quayes were present at the meeting.
“There’s been some delay, but these (deals) will be implemented soon,” he said during a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban on Sunday.
Pranab Mukherjee told the Prime Minister that a subcommittee under the Joint River Commission will be formed to analyse the proposed Tipaimukh Dam and inform the government of the outcome to remove misunderstanding from public minds about the project.
He said all will get due share of the water of all the rivers coming down from the Himalayas.
On bilateral trade, the Indian Finance Minister said New Delhi has already granted duty-free access of 46 Bangladeshi items to the Indian market to reduce the widening trade gap.
PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the press after the meeting.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hoped that all the pending issues between Bangladesh and India will be resolved at an early date.
Observing that both countries have some domestic political compulsions which make some choices difficult, Hasina said her government has taken several bold decisions vis-à-vis relations with India, particularly on security issues, granting transit, access to Chittagong and Mongla ports.
“Bangladesh hopes the Indian government will also be able to demonstrate political will in addressing pending issues and irritants,” she said.
In this connection, she stressed the need for early ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement 1974 and its Protocol signed during the visit of Dr Manmohan Singh for a satisfactory resolution to and implementation of the decisions on demarcation of land boundary, exchange of enclaves and areas in adverse possession.
Hasina also hoped that the government of India would make an effort for expediting the signing of an agreement for the sharing of waters of the Teesta River.
She noted that the issue assumed a greater political and emotive significance and further delay could make it even more difficult for the two countries to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Hasina mentioned that apart of a select group of people who follow developments in Indian political circles, most people in Bangladesh do not understand the Center-State relations or the dynamic of coalition politics. “It’s easy for them to misunderstand the intent of the government of India over delay in the conclusion of the Teesta Agreement.”
In this context, she said the issue of constructing Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak River and the inter-linking of rivers project have become the issue of great concern for the general public in Bangladesh.
Regarding the killings of Bangladeshis along the border, Hasina appreciated the move of the Indian government and said there is also a need for greater sensitivity from the Indian side responding to such concerns raised by Bangladesh.
She further noted that there has been some forward movement on cooperation in the hydro-power sector at the sub-regional level, such as exchanging of lists of projects and composition of working groups and for import of power from Tripura.
Hasina said the high-level exchange should continue since it allows the leadership to understand each other’s views and perceptions on issues of common interest and calibrate means of resolving them.
The Prime Minister thanked the Indian government for extending duty-free access to all products from Bangladesh under Safta except for 25 banned items.
She expressed her satisfaction at the small but significant movement forward that has taken place, including granting of 24-hour unfettered access to Bangladesh nationals across the Tin Bigha Corridor, laying of electric cables across Tin Bigha corridor allowing electrification of Angorpota-Dahogram, operationalisation of the SOPs for movement of trucks carrying bilateral cargo for Nepal and India, opening of Border haat at Kurigram-Meghalaya, movement of ODC, trial run of bulk cargo under PIWTT, signing of joint venture agreement for setting up the coal-based power plant at Bagerhat, signing of PPA for the purchase of 250 MW power from west Bengal.
Deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Home Minister Shahara Khatun, PM’s advisers Gowher Rizvi, Dr Mashiur rahman, Dr Modasser Ali, Foreign Secretary Misarul Quayes were present at the meeting.
Comments
No Comments on this News
