UNB, New York :
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he is very much serious about resolving the pending issues like the Teesta water sharing treaty and land boundary agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh.
Modi said this during his maiden meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina at New York Palace hotel.
“I’m very much serious, I’m searching for ways to resolve these issues,” Modi said as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised the pending issues during the meeting.
Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque briefed reporters after the meeting.
The Foreign Secretary said Sheikh Hasina told Modi that there are some issues remained unresolved between the two neighbouring countries, and wanted quick solution to those. Hasina invited her Indian counterpart to visit Bangladesh at his convenient time. In reply, Modi said he was looking for an opportunity. “I’ll visit Bangladesh very soon, our officers are working on this issue and hope they’ll find a day for the visit,” he said.
The foreign secretary said at the meeting, which was held in a very warm, relaxed and open environment, the Indian Prime Minister assured Hasina that New Delhi will always remain with Bangladesh for its development.
About regional cooperation and development, Hasina said the potentials that exist in the South Asian regions will have to be harnessed together.
Agreeing with Hasina, Modi said, “We’ll have to ensure development all together. The word of making development together comes prominently in my ‘Look East Policy’.
Sheikh Hasina, in this connection, mentioned that the Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, and called for removing the barriers that exist in the connectivity among Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
In this regard, the Indian Prime Minister assured Hasina of resolving these problems and asked the officials accompanying him to take steps to this end.
Modi also stressed the need for promoting religious tourism in the region and launching a Saarc satellite.
The Indian Prime Minister again lauded the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman founded Bangladesh, while his daughter saved the country.
The two leaders also agreed to root out terrorism from the region, saying that there will be no development unless terrorism is eliminated.
PM’s Media Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury was present on the occasion.
