Dhaka-Delhi ties on right track: FM

UNB, Dhaka :Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Tuesday said the relations between Bangladesh and India are on the ‘right track’, and described the first-ever meeting between two top leaders of the two neighbouring countries as result-oriented one.”The results of the meeting (between two PMs) were very good. We’re delighted and everything with India is on the right track,” he told a press conference at his ministry.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi held their maiden meeting on the sidelines of the 69th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday last.Mahmood Ali said the Indian Prime Minister conveyed that his government is working ‘actively’ and ‘sincerely’ to resolve the two pending issues-Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and Teesta water-sharing deal between the two countries very quickly.A questioner wanted to know the exact duration of the meeting between the two Prime Ministers as Indian media and Indian Ministry of External Affairs came up with different time figures.In response, Mahmood Ali said, “It’s not important at all. We look into the results of the meeting. Surely, the meeting was held for a longer time, not for 15 minutes. I’m sure you understand what the result is.” He said, it is important that Modi again reminded the Prime Minister saying ‘Bangabandhu founded Bangladesh and his daughter Sheikh Hasina saved Bangladesh’.The Foreign Minister also said the relations between Bangladesh and India is the most important one in the South Asia and Bangladesh wants to take forward the relations to a newer height.The Indian Prime Minister also expressed his intention to work together with Asian countries for enhancing regional cooperation and carry out development works.Asked about the language of their conversation, he said it is not important what language they used for conversation but Modi felt comfortable in speaking Hindi. “English, Bangla and Hindi, all languages can be used. We do it always. If I know the language I do it, too. Nothing is wrong with it.”As a questioner wanted to know about the justification of PM’s large delegation from the Foreign Minister, the Foreign Minister smiled and handed over the microphone to the Foreign Secretary to clarify the matter.In such events, eminent personalities accompany the Prime Minister and it happened this time too as there had been a good number of side events at the UNGA, Shahidul Haque said.”There had been 50 sideline events over five days. They (PM’s entourage) had participated in various events there,” said the Foreign Secretary.