Staff Reporter :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s India visit, at the invitation of her Indian counterpart, has been drawing much attention this time to how Bangladesh’s interests would best be served through diplomatic negotiations with its neighbouring nation.
Both the two premiers have been elected again, and it is expected that there will be a continuity of bilateral relations in multifaceted areas along with road and railway connectivity, economic cooperation, water sharing, and energy issues.
People in the northern regions of Bangladesh expect that this time there will be progress on the Teesta Water Sharing Treaty, which is pivotal to saving vast areas from droughts and desertification.
The renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, signed in December 1996 and valid for 30 years, is another vital issue for Bangladesh.
Apart from it, border killing by the Indian Border Security Force has been a major concern for Bangladeshis living near the borders of both Bangladesh and India.
It is expected that the Indian government will make the commitment to bring down border killings to zero, as they have earlier made this announcement.
Meanwhile, boarding on a special flight of Bangladesh Biman Airlines, she, flanked by her entourage, left Dhaka at around 2:30 pm and reached Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 3:30pm.
Upon her arrival, she was welcomed by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md. Mustafizur Rahman received Sheikh Hasina at the airport.
Before her landing, the Indian external affairs ministry termed Bangladesh “a key partner and trusted neighbour of India” and said her “visit will give a major boost to this celebrated bilateral partnership.”
“It is a very important visit for us. Both sides have a lot of expectations because the relationship is so special and so friendly,” said spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal at a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.
“This will be the first incoming bilateral state visit after the formation of the government in India following the 18th Lok Sabha elections,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina, on her first day, held a meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar at the Hotel Taj Palace to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Prime Minister’s Private Industries and Investment Adviser Salman F. Rahman and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, among others, were present there.
Sheikh Hasina is paying her second visit to India within a span of less than 15 days, as she earlier attended the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for another term on June 9.
The main event will begin on Saturday. A red carpet will be rolled out at Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from her Indian counterpart through a ceremonial reception where the national anthems of Bangladesh and India will be played. She will also inspect the Guard of Honour there.
Following it, the Bangladesh Prime Minister will go to Raj Ghat to pay tribute to the Father of the Indian Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, by placing a wreath at his Samadhi. She will also sign the visitor’s book there.
Later on the same day, Hasina will go to Hyderabad House to hold a one-to-one meeting with PM Modi, followed by delegation-level talks.
Both will witness the signing ceremony of the MoUs and agreements. After that, both prime ministers will give their press statements.
Then they will attend a luncheon hosted by PM Modi in honour of PM Hasina at Hyderabad House. She is scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar on the same day.