Hasina leaves for landmark India visit

Anisur Rahman
Dhaka, Jan 10 (PTI) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Sunday left on a landmark visit to India, where she will ink
key pacts, including a counter-terrorism deal in a bid to
"open a new chapter" in bilateral relations.
Hasina will sign agreements on mutual legal assistance
on criminal offences, transfer of sentenced persons and for
combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal
drug trafficking.
The two countries will also sign an MoU on cooperation
in the power sector during the three-day visit that is
expected to give a push to the bilateral relations in the
backdrop of recent positive atmospherics.
Earlier, the Foreign minister said a number of issues
including water sharing of common rivers with particular
reference to the Teesta, cross-border Tipaimukh Dam issue,
trade gap and tarrif and non-tariff trade barriers, railway
connectivity and regional transits and border management were
expected to feature the talks.
Foreign policy analysts and leading Bangladeshi
newspapers said Hasina’s India tour was expected to open up a
new chapter in bilateral relations.

Hasina, who is making her maiden trip to India after
taking over last January, is heading a 100-member delegation,
including 41 businessmen to boost bilateral political and
economic ties.
The security related agreements are aimed at
addressing India's concerns with regard to north-east
insurgents finding shelter in Bangladesh as a legal framework
would be put in place to transfer them, including those having
undergone sentences in that country.
India has a lot of expectations on this front 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 United Liberation
Front of Assam (ULFA) leaders like Arabinda Rajkhowa.
India and Bangladesh had inked a 30-year agreement on
sharing of the Ganges waters, removing a longstanding
irritation in bilateral ties during the 1996-2001 tenure of
the Awami League government under Hasina.
The Awami League leader, who has close personal
relationship with the Congress Party, is expected to take the
ties to a new height since Bangladesh became independent in
1971 with crucial Indian military support. PTI AR
ANU