UNB, Nay Pyi Taw :
Terming Bangladesh as the closest and time-tested friendly neighbour, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Tuesday assured his Bangladesh counterpart of providing additional 100 MW electricity to Bangladesh’s national grid from Tripura.
Dr Singh came up with the assurance at a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Myanmar International Convention Center here. In this regard, the Indian Prime Minister said, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan can set up hydroelectric plants in joint ventures, and can solve the growing power crisis of the region. Such initiatives, Manmohan said, would further accelerate the socioeconomic development of the region. Prime Minister’s special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters after the meeting.
He said, the two leaders of the neighbouring countries held a wide range of discussions on issues of common concern in a very cordial atmosphere. Dr Sing said India believes that the practice of sustainable and continued democratic trend could develop the living standard of this region’s huge population.
In this context, the Indian Prime Minister lauded the role of Sheikh Hasina for the development of people as well as in poverty alleviation and in women empowerment in Bangladesh during the tenure of her government. Dr Singh congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart for the victory in the last general election and for her election as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the third time.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked Dr Monmohan Singh for placing the Land Boundary Agreement Bill in Indian parliament.
She also hoped that the bill would be approved by the Lok Sabha solving the issue that has been pending for long 40 years. About the Teesta water sharing issue, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is waiting to see more positive and effective steps from the Indian government.
Terming poverty, hunger and terrorism as the common curses in the region, Sheikh Hasina said her government is committed to fighting those together saying she wants to see a terrorism-free region.
Hasina told Manmohan that the aim of her government is to build a middle-income Bangladesh by 2021 and it is working to this end.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, PMO Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque were present from Bangladesh side while Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid and National Security Advisor of India Shib Shankar Menon were present from the Indian side.
