Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Hasina, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that people’s federation and poverty are her main focus. The Bangladeshi PM added that she’s expecting India’s cooperation as “any problem can be solved through friendship and Bangladesh is always indebted to India”.
Interacting with reporters at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Hasina said her talks with Modi would focus on improving the condition of the people in their respective countries, poverty alleviation and economic development. “Our main aim is to develop the economy and fulfill the basic needs of our people. With friendship you can solve any problem. So we always do that,” Hasina said.
During her visit, Hasina is likely to sign up to seven agreements across the spheres of water management, railway, science and technology, and information and broadcasting with the Indian leadership.
Ahead of her formal meeting with PM Modi, the Bangladesh PM met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday, to discuss the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship
She also offered floral tributes at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi Hasina arrived in Delhi on Monday afternoon and is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Modi later Tuesday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Hasina on Monday evening.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani also called on the Bangladeshi prime minister Monday evening. During her stay, Hasina will also call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Hasina also visited Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah in the national capital on Monday and is scheduled to travel to Ajmersharif on Thursday. Bangladesh is now India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia and the bilateral trade has grown from USD 9 billion to USD 18 billion in the last five years. It has also become the fourth largest export destination for India with the exports registering a growth of over 66 per cent from USD 9.69 billion in 2020-21 to USD 16.15 billion in 2021-22.
During her meeting with the Indian leadership, the Bangladesh PM is expected to ink at least seven bilateral agreements in areas like water management, railway and science and technology.
Sign MoU of water sharing of the Kushiyara river
Both India and Bangladesh are expected to sign an interim bilateral agreement on water sharing of the Kushiyara river following talks between the two leaders.
Water-sharing is a key issue for Bangladesh. Ahead of her visit, Hasina in an interview asked India to “should show more broadness” on the issue as it’s an upstream country.
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven were identified earlier for developing a framework of water-sharing agreements on priority, according to a report by news agency PTI.
The text of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was finalised at the 38th ministerial-level meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) held in Delhi on August 25. The commission was constituted in 1972 as a bilateral mechanism to address issues of mutual interest on common rivers.
Bilateral defence and strategic cooperation
India and Bangladesh are also expected to announce a host of measures to enhance cooperation in areas of defence. The overall strategic ties between India and Bangladesh have been on an upswing in the last few years.
Bangladesh is an important partner under India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy. The cooperation extends to all fields including security, trade and commerce, power and energy, transport and connectivity, science and technology, defence, rivers, and maritime affairs among others.
As per a report by Bangladeshi English-language daily, The Daily Star, border management, combating drug smuggling and human trafficking are likely to get priority during the talks between PM Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart.
Trade and commerce
During their talks, Hasina and PM Modi are also expected to discuss issues related to investment, enhanced trade relations, and power and energy sector cooperation between the two countries, according to The Daily Star.
Bangladesh is now India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia, and the bilateral trade between the two countries have grown from USD 9 billion to USD 18 billion in the last five years.
Bangladesh has also become the fourth largest export destination for India with a growth of over 66 per cent from USD 9.69 billion in FY 2020-21 to USD 16.15 billion in FY 2021-22. Despite the Covid pandemic, both countries were able to achieve progress on important connectivity initiatives.
The Rohingya refugee crisis is another issue Hasina is likely to discuss during her meeting with PM Modi. Bangladesh hosts the most Rohingya refugees and is seeking India’s help to rehabilitate them back to Myanmar.
Hasina, in an interview with news agency ANI, said, “On humanitarian grounds, we give them shelter and provide everything… During Covid, we vaccinated all the Rohingya community. But how long will they stay here? In the camp where they are staying, our environmental hazard is there. Then some people engage in drug trafficking, some arms conflict, or women’s trafficking. Day by day, it is increasing.”
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