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Better ties, greater connectivity

Modi for concrete steps to up Indo-Bangla trade, investment

Diplomatic Correspondent
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for concrete steps to promote Bangladesh-India trade and investment as the two sides agreed that improved connec-
tivity would promote economic cooperation and strengthen people-to-people ties.
The Indian premier made the remarks when Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali called on him at his official Race Course Residence in New Delhi yesterday afternoon.
The foreign minister is in New Delhi for
the third meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) beginning today, where a wide range of issues, including power, connectivity, security, trade and water resources will come up for discussion.
"The past, present and future of India and Bangladesh are interlinked," Modi said, reiterating that India would do everything for the growth, peace and prosperity of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Indian President Pranab
Mukherjee yesterday told Ali that "there is a need for speedy implementation of decisions".
Pranab also raised the issue of connectivity between the two countries and asked to "work on increasing connectivity”. The Indian president's remarks on speedy implementation of decisions assume importance as the two central issues of Bangladesh-India relations -Teesta river water-sharing deal and ratification of the land boundary agreement (LBA) - are pending in the Indian parliament for quite some time.
Earlier, emerging from a meeting with Indian Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati, Foreign Minister Ali told reporters that both countries are optimistic about "early signing of the Teesta agreement."
Ali described his meeting with Bharati as "fruitful and positive" and said they also discussed issues relating to resources of common rivers and river basin management.
Both the ministers agreed to hold the meeting of the 38th Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) in Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.
They also discussed an interim agreement for sharing waters of Teesta and agreed to hold the 3rd meeting of the Sub-group of the JRC on Tipaimukh hydro-electric project at a convenient time.
Bharati reiterated that India would not implement any project that may have adverse impacton Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, in a statement from the Indian Prime Minister's Office Modi expressed appreciation for Sheikh Hasina's "personal interest and commitment to the relationship with India" and reiterated India's resolve to continue extending full support to the efforts of Bangladesh for its socioeconomic development.
"In this context he called for greater cooperation between India and Bangladesh in the areas of energy, power, infrastructure development and tourism", the statement read.
"Noting the complementary geographical locations of India and Bangladesh, it was agreed that improved connectivity through development of transportation (road, rail, inland waterways, shipping and air) links would facilitate economic cooperation
and strengthen people-to-people ties," according to the statement.
Foreign Minister Ali extended an invitation on behalf of Sheikh Hasina to Modi to visit Bangladesh and the Indian PM said he looked forward to visiting Bangladesh at the earliest convenience.
During the meeting, Ali recalled the historical, cultural and economic links between India and Bangladesh and expressed appreciation of the special emphasis given by the new government under the leadership of Modi to relations with the SAARC region and India's neighbourhood.
Ali conveyed the strong desire of the people and government of Bangladesh to further strengthen and deepen relations with India.
Our New Delhi correspondent Pallab Bhattacharya reported that Ali had a series of meetings with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley besides Mukherjee and Indian Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal yesterday.
Officials said the whole range of bilateral issues - power trade, management of water resources, connectivity and security
- figured in Ali's discussions with the Indian leaders.
At the end of his engagements, Ali declined to tell the media what was being discussed at his meetings with the Indian leaders, saying "I don't want to preempt tomorrow's Joint Consultative Commission meeting."
Asked about Indian media reports about a portion of the Saradha chit fund scam money finding its way to Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh, he said "I won't comment on an internal matter of India”.
Ali is leading a high-profile delegation for today's JCC meeting, including Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and secretaries of seven departments.
While the Teesta deal has been in limbo ever since West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee opposed it just before former Indian PM Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September, 2011, Indian parliament is yet to pass a constitution amendment bill that is mandatory to implement the LBA.
The bill, after being placed last year in Rajya Sabha, upper House of parliament, has been referred to a select committee of lawmakers.