Krishna embarks on Bangladesh visit

New Delhi, July 6 (PTI) India's External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna on Wednesday embarked on an official
visit to Bangladesh during which he is expected to convey
India's commitment to forging a strong and enduring
relationship with the people and government of the
neighbouring country.
During talks with the Bangla leadership, Krishna will
review the entire gamut of bilateral relations ahead of Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's September 6-7- visit there.
Krishna's three-day trip comes against the backdrop of
Singh's remarks last Wednesday about 25 per cent of
Bangladeshis being anti-Indian which kicked up an uproar in
that country.
The two countries have since downplayed the remarks
with Krishna himself denying suggestions that his trip was
being undertaken to repair the damage to bilateral relations
following the prime minister's remarks.
The remarks by Singh were intended to be off-the-record
but figured in the official transcript of the interaction
between the Prime Minister and the Editors. The remarks were
later edited out of the official transcript.
The high point of Krishna's stay in Dhaka will be
tomorrow's meetings when he calls on Bangla premier Sheikh
Hasina and holds formal talks with Bangladesh Foreign Minister
Dipu Mo.
The two sides are expected to sign several "bilateral
documents" on transit, a 15 year interim accord on Teesta
river water-sharing, joint ventures in power sector and
development projects under the one billion dollar Line of
Credit extended by India in January last year during Hasina's
visit to Delhi.
Krishna's visit is part of efforts to do the
spadework for working out the "deliverables" by India during
Singh's visit to Dhaka when New Delhi is expected to come out
with a raft of unilateral trade concessions, including further
easing of Bangladeshi textile exports to Indian market, and an
agreement on border demarcation and adversely-held enclaves.
Media and strategic affairs analysts said Krishna's
visit will not only bring up the opportunity for India to
undertake the damage-control and downplay the row over Singh's
remarks but also underline its commitment to "forging a
stronger, enduring and a productive partnership" with
Bangladesh.
In fact, there are already signs that the two
countries are well on their way to leave the controversy
behind them and move on. The fact that the announcement of
Singh's visit was simultaneously announced in Delhi and Dhaka
indicated their conscious efforts to play down the row.
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also made glowing
references while announcing Singh's visit saying it "is
expected to infuse fresh dynamism into the multi-faceted and
multi-dimensional relationship between the two countries".
Krishna will also meet the leader of oposition Khaleda
Zia, whose BNP and allies fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami have
called a two day strike coinciding, to protest against Hasina
goverrnment's move to do away with future parliamentary
elections under a neutral caretaker government.
Krishna kicks off his engagement in Dhaka with a
meeting with Bangladesh Finance Minister A M A Muhith
discussing progress in implementation of the various projects
under the Line of Credit, which is the biggest dose of foreign
assistance by India, mainly relating to railway infrastructure
in that country.
This will be followed by an interaction with senior
Bangladeshi editors.
The visiting minister will also call on President
Zillur Rahman at Banga Bhavan tomorrow. A dinner on the same
day will be hosted by Dipu Moni for Krishna.
Krishna will lay the plaque of Kala Bhavan to be set
up in Dhaka University with Indian assistance and speak at the
Bangladesh Institute of Strategic Studies on India-Bangladesh
relations on the final day of his visit before returning to
New Delhi. PTI PAL
ASR