Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh yesterday made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and handed her a letter from Indian Premier Manmohan Singh inviting her to visit India.

Singh told Khaleda at her office Manmohan would attend the 13th Saarc Summit in Dhaka scheduled for November 12-13.

Manmohan in the letter expressed the hope the existing good ties between the two neighbours would strengthen further.

Briefing reporters, Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin said the prime minister has accepted the invitation and expressed her willingness to visit India "at a convenient time".

She reciprocated by inviting the Indian prime minister to pay a visit to Bangladesh, in addition to his trip to Dhaka for the Saarc summit.

The Indian side has accepted the invitation and said their premier would visit Dhaka at a convenient time this year.

Khaleda termed the Indian external affairs minister's visit to Bangladesh part of confidence-building measures.

Both Khaleda and Singh emphasised the need for such visits from both sides to boost bilateral relations.

Singh informed Khaleda that his Bangladesh trip and discussions at various levels were "fruitful, useful, successful and constructive".

He is going back home with a very good impression and would discuss at appropriate level the matters of resolving the outstanding issues between the two countries, Hemayetuddin told reporters.

On Indian river-linking project -- a latest add-on to the existing irritants in the bilateral ties -- Singh reassured Khaleda India would not take any unilateral decision that may affect Bangladesh.

About trade imbalance and sharing waters of common rivers, he said high-level visits from India would take place soon, including the trips by the Indian commerce minister and water resources minister, when the Indian side will make its effort to resolve various issues.

The Indian side also gave assurance of cooperation in the IT sector in Bangladesh.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and High Commissioner in Dhaka Veena Sikri were present.

Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan and Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin accompanied Khaleda during the meet.