Indian Prime Minister in Dhaka to discuss transport, resources

Sep 6, 2011, 9:07 GMT

Dhaka - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday arrived in Dhaka to sign a number of deals on territory, transport and resources, an official said.

'This visit will shape up our future cooperation in many areas agreed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's New Delhi visit in early 2010,' Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told journalists.

One of the deals on the table is to help upgrade two ports in Bangladesh and allow goods to transit through the country to India's landlocked north-eastern states.

Singh was accompanied by his wife, cabinet ministers and the chief ministers of five of the Indian states landlocked behind Bangladesh.

The visiting dignitaries were also to meet former prime minister and present opposition leader Khaleda Zia.

The Indian leaders were also expected to discuss the demarcation of 6.5 kilometres of disputed border with their Bangladeshi counterparts.

A proposed interim agreement on sharing of waters of two cross-boundary rivers has stalled, after the Indian state involved refused to back New Delhi's position.

Mamata Banarjee, chief minister of West Bengal, has said that an equal sharing of the Teesta river would hurt five districts in her state.

Banerjee pulled out of the trip at the last minute, but did not confirm it was because of the proposed water deal.

Other deals to be finalized include railway routes, energy, trade, fisheries, exchanges of television programmes, nature conservation and education.

Singh was to leave Bangladesh late Wednesday.

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