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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
India-Bangladesh connectivity inevitable: Khaleda
India-Bangladesh connectivity inevitable: Khaleda
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia meets with Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid at Hyderabad House on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla
Star Online Report
In a shift of her party's stand, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday warmed up to connectivity with India and New Delhi's participation in a consortium with China to build a deep sea port located at Sonadia.
During a 45-minute meeting with India's new Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid at the Hyderabad House in the afternoon, Khaleda told him that connectivity between Bangladesh and India is "inevitable" and the same must be expanded to include China and South East Asia.
In the past, BNP had opposed granting transit facility to India to connect with its landlocked northeastern states with the mainland.
After Khaleda's meeting with Khurshid and earlier with Indian National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon who called on her at her hotel, BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told the media that Menon raised the issue of Bangladesh's proposal for a deep sea port at Sonadia and expressed India's interest in the project.
Khaleda welcomed the proposal for a consortium including India, China and other countries undertaking the Sonadia deep sea port because of the huge amount of investment needed for it and said it will benefit Bangladesh, India, China and Thailand as well, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Mobin said Khaleda had taken up the deep sea port issue with top Chinese leaders when she had visited that country in the third week of October and Beijing was receptive to India's participation in the consortium.
Mobin said India has already expressed keenness to join the proposed Sonadia deep sea port project and sought details and data about it.
He said Khurshid assured Khaleda that he will take a personal initiative to talk to all stakeholders, including West Bengal state, and resolve the Teesta water-sharing issue, a deal which could not be signed last September due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's last-minute opposition.
Khaleda said clinching an agreement on Teesta will be the "first stop" before moving towards sharing of the water of other common rivers.
Responding to Khaleda's concerns over border killings, Khurshid emphasised such incidents have to be eliminated and India will take all steps towards achieving that.
In the past, BNP had been in denial mode about the problem of cross-border illegal migration and presence of militants in Bangladesh territory.
During her meetings with Indian leaders, Khaleda signalled her intention to break from BNP's anti-India stance in the past.
At a separate media briefing, the spokesperson of Indian External Affairs Ministry said Khaleda's message during her interaction with Indian leaders was that "this marks a new beginning and let's not look back in the rear view mirror".
The Indian National Security Advisor conveyed to Khaleda that New Delhi would like the current momentum in bilateral ties to be maintained.
Khaleda is leaving for Jaipur on Wednesday on her way to Ajmer Sharif and will return to Delhi on Thursday night. A dinner will be hosted in her honour by Rajasthan Industry Minister on Wednesday night in Jaipur. She returns to Dhaka on November 3.
India-Bangladesh connectivity inevitable: Khaleda
India-Bangladesh connectivity inevitable: Khaleda
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia meets with Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid at Hyderabad House on Tuesday. Photo: Focus Bangla
Star Online Report
In a shift of her party's stand, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday warmed up to connectivity with India and New Delhi's participation in a consortium with China to build a deep sea port located at Sonadia.
During a 45-minute meeting with India's new Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid at the Hyderabad House in the afternoon, Khaleda told him that connectivity between Bangladesh and India is "inevitable" and the same must be expanded to include China and South East Asia.
In the past, BNP had opposed granting transit facility to India to connect with its landlocked northeastern states with the mainland.
After Khaleda's meeting with Khurshid and earlier with Indian National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon who called on her at her hotel, BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told the media that Menon raised the issue of Bangladesh's proposal for a deep sea port at Sonadia and expressed India's interest in the project.
Khaleda welcomed the proposal for a consortium including India, China and other countries undertaking the Sonadia deep sea port because of the huge amount of investment needed for it and said it will benefit Bangladesh, India, China and Thailand as well, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Mobin said Khaleda had taken up the deep sea port issue with top Chinese leaders when she had visited that country in the third week of October and Beijing was receptive to India's participation in the consortium.
Mobin said India has already expressed keenness to join the proposed Sonadia deep sea port project and sought details and data about it.
He said Khurshid assured Khaleda that he will take a personal initiative to talk to all stakeholders, including West Bengal state, and resolve the Teesta water-sharing issue, a deal which could not be signed last September due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's last-minute opposition.
Khaleda said clinching an agreement on Teesta will be the "first stop" before moving towards sharing of the water of other common rivers.
Responding to Khaleda's concerns over border killings, Khurshid emphasised such incidents have to be eliminated and India will take all steps towards achieving that.
In the past, BNP had been in denial mode about the problem of cross-border illegal migration and presence of militants in Bangladesh territory.
During her meetings with Indian leaders, Khaleda signalled her intention to break from BNP's anti-India stance in the past.
At a separate media briefing, the spokesperson of Indian External Affairs Ministry said Khaleda's message during her interaction with Indian leaders was that "this marks a new beginning and let's not look back in the rear view mirror".
The Indian National Security Advisor conveyed to Khaleda that New Delhi would like the current momentum in bilateral ties to be maintained.
Khaleda is leaving for Jaipur on Wednesday on her way to Ajmer Sharif and will return to Delhi on Thursday night. A dinner will be hosted in her honour by Rajasthan Industry Minister on Wednesday night in Jaipur. She returns to Dhaka on November 3.
last time her anti-Indian stand didnt workout .
.
