New Delhi is all set to roll out the red carpet for Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she will visit India on Monday on a four-day state visit to open new windows of cooperation in trade, connectivity, and defence.
Analysts termed the visit highly significant amid the global economic crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The two South Asian neighbours will seek enhanced cooperation to overcome these challenges.
In an interview with news agency ANI ahead of the visit, Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina said any differences that there may be between countries should be addressed through dialogue, and Bangladesh and India had precisely done that on several occasions.
Referring to India as a "tried and tested friend,” she said India has always stood by Bangladesh in times of need from 1971 onwards.
“You see, these two countries, we are neighbours, close neighbours, and I always give importance and priority to friendship with our neighbouring countries,” she said in the interview.
Sheikh Hasina added that this visit would focus on improving trade, business, and bonding between the two countries.
“India recognised Bangladesh early on, so I think that bonding is our main priority,” she said, when asked about the priorities of this visit. The premier also said both countries would discuss how to materialize their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement properly.
Regarding connectivity, which has topped the agenda of discussions between the two countries for a couple of years now, Sheikh Hasina said the agreement signed in 2018 for use of Chittagong and Mongla ports would give India import and export opportunities, while Bangladesh would also be also a beneficiary.
She asked not only India, but all countries, including Nepal and Bhutan, to use Bangladesh’s ports and airports for better connectivity.
Sheikh Hasina also lavished praise on the Modi government's gesture of providing Covid vaccines to neighbouring countries under its Vaccine Maitri program when the pandemic was fast-spreading, and for helping with the evacuation of Bangladesh students who, like many Indians, were stranded in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries after the outbreak of the conflict there.
Regarding the Teesta water sharing issue, the premier said resolving the matter mainly depends on India.
“It (Teesta water sharing) is a long-standing problem. So, it should be solved. But it depends mainly on India,” she said, expecting more openness from India on solving the issue as it would benefit both countries.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was reaching out to the international community to ensure that the Rohingya can return to their homeland.
About the 1.1 million Rohingyas now sheltered in Bangladesh are becoming a major burden for the country, she said, adding that she believes India can play a significant role in resolving the issue.
Sheikh Hasina earlier visited India in October 2019, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh in March 2021.
Program schedule
According to the schedule, India’s Union Minister of State for Textiles and Railways Darshana Vikram Jardosh and Bangladesh High Commissioner in India Muhammad Imran will receive PM Hasina at the airport on Monday.
She will meet India’s President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the following day.
A high-level delegation, including a number of ministers, advisers and senior officials of the government, and representatives from the business community will accompany her.
Sheikh Hasina will address a meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) on Wednesday. She will offer prayers at the Ajmer Sharif dargah and the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti the next day. Earlier, she visited Ajmer Sharif in 2010 and 2017 as well.
The Bangladesh prime minister is set to return home on September 8.
Deals likely to be signed
During this visit, Bangladesh and India are likely to sign a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understandings focusing on water sharing of common rivers, power and energy cooperation, border management, and cooperation in the field of defence, railway, and science and technology.
In the wake of challenges posed by high fuel prices due to the Ukraine war, securing fuel oil remains a challenge for many countries. Bangladesh will discuss and finalise a long-term agreement on fuel import from India if the neighbour has a surplus.
Also, Dhaka and Delhi will discuss ways to ensure uninterrupted supply of foodstuff, including wheat, onion, pulses and spices, to Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are also expected to jointly announce the completion of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant’s first unit. Unit-I of the 1320 (2*660) MW coal-fired power plant was successfully synchronized with the national grid on August 15 and is expected to go into commercial operation in October.
Withdrawal of the anti-dumping duty on exports of jute products from Bangladesh to India is also on the table for discussions.
Signing of the MoU on interim water sharing of Kushiyara river is likely to be signed in this visit as well. The text of the MoU was finalized on August 25 by both countries.
Both the premiers are expected to talk about trial runs of cargo shipments between Kolkata, Chittagong, and Mongla ports.
The first trial run cargo ship from Kolkata under the agreement to strengthen transit facilities between India and Bangladesh arrived at Mongla Port on August 8. The cargo was bound for Assam through the Birbirbazaar-Srimantpur border points.
This exercise will create cheaper and alternative routes for India to reach its Northeast region while at the same time carrying export-import containers for Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government has finalized the export of around 5,000 tons of ilish fish to India before the Durga Puja festival. It was 1,400 tons last year.
