Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has expressed optimism that pre-signing procedures of the planned seven Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) will be completed by Monday night and will be handed over during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday.
“These are likely to be finalized tonight,” he told reporters after Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Responding to a question, he said interim water sharing of Kushiyara River is one of them. Earlier, Bangladesh and India finalised the text of a MoU.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said Bangladesh and India are likely to sign seven bilateral documents on water management, railway, science and technology and information and broadcasting during Hasina’s India visit.
Jaishankar met PM Hasina at her place of residence (ITC Maurya).
The foreign secretary said Bangladesh wants more predictability on “strategic commodities” that Bangladesh needs.
The visit will further strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two countries, said the Ministry of External Affairs.
A red carpet was rolled out as the Bangladesh premier arrived here on a four-day state visit at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
On arrival at Palam Airport at 11:40am local time the premier was received by State Minister for Railways and Textiles of India Darshana Vikram Jardosh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran.
A group of women, clad in colourful saris, danced and played music to greet the Bangladesh leader at the airport.
From the airport Sheikh Hasina drove in a ceremonial motorcade to ITC Maurya, where she will be staying during the visit. The streets along the route were decked with national flags of Bangladesh and India. Portraits of Hasina and Modi were also installed along the way.
The visit is seen as significant amid the Ukraine crisis, global economic downturn and ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the two South Asian neighbours seek enhanced cooperation to overcome the challenges.
