Indian Commerce Minister Pranab Mukherjee is due to ST-rive here December 26 on s four-day visit to Bangladesh to lead his country's delegation to the ensuing meeting of the Indo Bangla Joint Economic Commission (JEC) The talks ate scheduled to begin tn the capital the same day.

The Bangladesh side to the meeting will be beaded by Foreign Minister ASM Mostafizur Rahman

A source confided to UNB yesterday that the Commission would deliberate on the present economic relations between the two countries and devise ways and means of improving it by offsetting the existing trade imbalance against Bangladesh

Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Deputy ChairmaA of the Planning Commission In his country and one qf the two most important ministers in Rao’s cabinet, will reportedly be armed with the authority to take up with Bangladesh leadership issues other than economic in an attempt to suggest their acceptable solutions.

He is expected to have the • required mandate to discuss with Dhaka all those problems which have been bedevilling Indo-Bangla relationship for the past two decades or so.

During his stay in Bangladesh capital, Pranab Mukherjee. the source said, might go for in-depth study of the Impact of Indian initiatives which would encourage Bangladesh government to make reciprocal gesture towards India and thereby open up a new vista of cordial cooperation in all fields between the two countries.

Judged, from the points of view stated above. Pranab Mukherjee's forthcoming visit to Dhaka is, of utmost importance in as much as it is expected to prepare Jhe ground for Prime Ministers Rao’s impending trip to Bangladesh early next year.

Pranab Mukherjee s recommendations on Bangladesh-India relations and on ways to Improve it are certain to carry a lot of weight with Prime Minister Rao who after his successful handling of Hazratbal crisis and considerable success of his party in the recent bye-elections in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram would feel confident to mend fences with India's close neighbour like Bangladesh, the source said.