As Dhaka eagerly awaits Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit next week, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali said on Friday that there is “cautious optimism” on the signing of the Teesta Water Treaty during Modi’s visit. “Since West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is going to Dhaka with the Indian Prime Minister, I’m cautiously optimistic that both sides would reach an agreement during the PM’s visit this time. We have already reached a tentative agreement and if any issue is still left, then it can be discussed in her presence,” said Ali.
In 2011, Mamata had refused to travel with former PM Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh, thereby blocking the deal. While officers in the Ministry of External Affairs remained tight-lipped on this, sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party said the agreement may still take some more time to be sealed. After the smooth passage of the Bill ratifying the 1974 India-Bangladesh land Boundary Agreement in Parliament recently, which will lead to exchange of enclaves from both sides, Bangladesh is now keen that the Modi Government should resolve the Teesta water-sharing issue as well at the earliest.
India shares waters of 54 rivers with Bangladesh. While an agreement on Ganga River water is already in place, the next in line is Teesta River. Syed Muazzem Ali pushed for having a Joint Basin Management discussion for sharing the water of the other 52 rivers as well. “The sooner we strengthen our Joint River Commissions the better it is, as the rivers are shrinking,” the envoy said.
Modi’s 36-hour visit to Dhaka is going to be action-packed, ranging from agreements on Defence co-operation, trade, tourism and better connectivity besides sharing of views on climate change and terrorism. Three bus routes connecting Dhaka to Agartala, Shillong and Guwahati are likely to be flagged off during Modi’s visit.
“Besides we are also working on improving our rail and waterway connectivity for transportation of goods which will also boost trade from both sides,” the ambassador said. To aid this, Bangladesh is setting up an office of Deputy High Commissioner in Guwahati to facilitate travel documents for people in the region, who otherwise have to travel all the way to Kolkata. Bangladesh is also upgrading its High Commission in Agartala.
Defense co-operation between India and Bangladesh may include increasing the number of officers for training with the Indian Army. There is also likely to be an agreement on treatment of Bangladeshi soldiers at Indian Army Referral Hospitals. As of now, Bangladeshi soldiers come here for specialized treatments for illnesses like cancer.
On Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on preventing cattle smuggling to Bangladesh, the envoy said: “The border has been a complex issue. Smuggling of several items happens due to demand on both sides. But we are trying to strengthen our border and now there will be a weekly field-level meeting of border officials,” he said. He added that both sides were trying to keep killings at the border at zero level.