[ad_1]
NEW DELHI — Bangladesh’s prime minister was welcomed to India with a ceremony within the capital, New Delhi, on Tuesday throughout a four-day go to aimed toward boosting bilateral ties.
Sheikh Hasina shook palms along with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the Rashtrapati Bhavan Presidential Palace, and officers mentioned the 2 leaders later within the day are anticipated to debate offers on connectivity, power, meals safety, and commerce.
Hasina mentioned the 2 nations get pleasure from a pleasant relationship targeted on assuaging poverty and financial development. “We will work collectively so that individuals not solely (in) India, Bangladesh, and in addition the South Asian folks, they will get higher life. That’s our major focus,” she mentioned.
In Bangladesh, her go to is seen as politically vital because it comes forward of common elections subsequent 12 months. Hasina, who has maintained a heat relationship with India since changing into prime minister in 2009, will push to bolster funding and commerce in addition to make progress on long-standing points reminiscent of water-sharing of widespread rivers, observers say.
Over the weekend, Bangladesh’s international minister advised reporters that the 2 nations are prone to ink seven agreements masking science and know-how, water administration, and data and broadcasting.
“We hope the go to might be very profitable. It’ll assist obtain our targets,” Dr AK Abdul Momen was quoted as saying by The Every day Star newspaper.
The connection between the neighbors is essential, with India being Bangladesh’s largest buying and selling companion in South Asia. Whereas China is concerned in virtually all main infrastructure growth schemes in Bangladesh, India can also be extra desirous to take up joint tasks.
In the meantime, Bangladesh runs a big commerce imbalance with India, a difficulty that could be mentioned throughout Hasina’s go to. Within the fiscal 12 months 2021-22, Bangladesh imported items value round $14 billion from India whereas exports to its neighboring nation ran decrease at $1.8 billion, in response to official figures. Authorities and commerce our bodies usually blame tariff and non-tariff boundaries in addition to anti-dumping obstacles imposed by India for the low exports.
One other precedence for Hasina could also be to make progress on agreements for water sharing of the Teesta River, a serious transboundary river that begins in India’s Sikkim state and runs via the north of West Bengal state earlier than flowing into Bangladesh.
For many years, there was no motion on this concern till 2011 when India agreed to share waters throughout the lean season, between December and March — however the deal by no means went via attributable to robust opposition from the West Bengal state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee.
When Modi visited Bangladesh final 12 months, he reiterated India’s dedication to conclude this settlement however the deadlock has dragged on.
Hasina final visited India in 2019, when she and Modi agreed on the necessity to enhance efforts to facilitate the protected return of a whole lot of 1000’s of Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar and have since taken refuge in Bangladesh.
On Monday, the Bangladeshi prime minister met with Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, who not too long ago grew to become the world’s third-richest particular person, in response to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index. She additionally spoke with India’s international minister and can name on the vp and president whereas in New Delhi earlier than leaving for the Indian metropolis of Jaipur on Thursday.
———
Related Press author Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link
