It will make no difference.
If till now it has not made any difference, it should continue to make no difference.
---------- Post added at 01:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:40 AM ----------
BD in no material way affects India.
Manmohan wants to build bridges.
If BD does not want to do so, then it is BD which loses out.
No Teesta, no transit
Bangladesh and India have failed to sign agreements on transit and Teesta and Feni rivers, the most sought after takeaways expected from the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh in a new blow to their bilateral ties.
Manmohan began his 2-day official visit yesterday becoming the first Indian prime minister to come to Bangladesh in over a decade and raising high hopes both in Dhaka and New Delhi of making a new beginning.
He was accorded a red carpet reception at Shahjalal International Airport, greeted by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a sunny autumn day
Manmohan's visit and his official talks with Hasina were overshadowed by New Delhi's last-moment dramatic decision against signing the Teesta treaty in the face of stiff opposition from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The gloom persisted even though the talks produced the signing of 10 Memorandum of Understandings and protocols covering land boundary to preservation of Sundarbans and long-term comprehensive framework cooperation for development.
Hours before Singh's arrival in Dhaka, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes summoned Indian High Commissioner Rajeet Mitter to the Foreign Office demanding an explanation why New Delhi backed out from an earlier commitment to sign the Teesta accord.
Quayes expressed to the Indian envoy of Bangladesh's displeasure over the Teesta debacle.
New Delhi reported agreed to share 50 percent of Teesta waters with Dhaka in a draft treaty agreed by the two countries during Indian PM's National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon's whirlwind visit to Bangladesh last week.
Happy with the draft Bangladesh was eagerly waiting for the deal to be signed as this was what Hasina's government wanted most from Manmohan's visit. The Teesta dispute has rendered Bangladesh's multi-million taka Teesta irrigation project almost idle.
It was West Bengal's newly-elected chief minister Mamata Banerjee who torpedoed the Teesta deal saying it goes against her state's interests. After she exited from Manmohan's Dhaka entourage, the central government t backed out from the deal dealing a blow to Hasina's hopes.
The Teesta failure blocked the hoped-for deal on sharing Feni river's waters and signing a letter of exchange containing Dhaka's consent to let India use Chittagong and Mongla ports to carry goods through Bangladesh territory.
In a statement after the talks Manmohan asked not to overplay the water disputes.
Our common rivers need not be sources of discord
.we have decided to continue discussions to reach a mutually acceptable, fair and amicable arrangement for the sharing of Teesta and Feni river waters, Manmohan said in his written statement.
In a separate media statement Hasina said, I am happy to announce that we have moved closer to resolving long pending issues of common concern. This has been done in a spirit of warmth and cordiality and understanding.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction over India's decision to duty-free access to another 46 products from Bangladesh. Hasina was glad that India agreed to provide 24-hour access to Tin Bigha corridor for the residents of Bangladesh enclaves of Dhagram and Angorpota.
They also pointed to the signing the protocol to the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974.
With this, both our countries have now demarcated the entire land boundary as well as resolved the status of enclaves and adversely possessed areas, Manmohan said.
Manmohan said the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed by the two leaders is a contemporary blueprint designed to encompass on all forms and sectors of cooperation.
Earlier, Manmohan Singh was given a 19-gun military salute at the airport, where he reviewed a parade and got introduced to ministers and high officials.
After the airport ceremony, Singh paid floral wreath at National Mausoleum, Savar. Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Finance Minister AMA Muhith paid separate calls on with the Indian Prime Minister at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.
The Indian Prime Minister arrived at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) at 5:05pm and held Tete-a-Tete with Sheikh Hasina that lasted about 45 minutes. Originally it was scheduled for hanlf an hour at Shimul room of PMO.
After the exclusive talks, the two prime ministers joined the official talks which began at 6pm at Chameli of International Conference Centre (ICC), PMO and it lasted less than half an hour.
Hasina led a 21-member delegation while her Indian counterpart led a 19-member delegation at the official talks.
But the two PMs met again one to one first and then aided by their respective Foreign Ministers for about half an hour and all on a sudden an official of the Foreign Ministry took the file of "Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement" which was not in the list.
Highly placed sources said the two leaders took the bold step to sign the agreement to address the legacy issue include (i) undemarcated land boundary (ii) enclaves; and (iii) adverse possessions.
Officials said it was due to be signed by the Home Ministers, but finally it was signed by Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna