Defence pact among 30 deals likely during Hasina’s visit

prime minister Sheikh HasinaBangladesh and India have taken necessary preparations to sign “more or less 30 deals and MoUs” during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's visit.

Sheikh Hasina will embark on her four-day crucial visit on 7 April as it is being seen as extremely important one by both sides.
A five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation and four other related documents are there on the list which are ready for signing between the two countries, diplomatic sources said.

Asked about possible defence cooperation pact between the two countries, a diplomat told UNB that there has been a significant cooperation and collaboration between the two countries in many ways in this particular area with lots of exchanges and joint exercises.

Any further “institutional arrangements” that the two countries will conclude will be only in keeping with the close cooperation that the two countries currently enjoy in this particular area, he said wishing to remain unquoted.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held at the foreign ministry in Dhaka on Sunday with foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque in the chair that discussed various aspects of the visit, ministry sources said.

An official indicated that the number of deals and MoUs might increase or decrease finally.

He said the visit will give the growing cooperation between the two South Asian countries more dimensions.

This “extremely important” visit comes seven years after Sheikh Hasina's previous visit to India in January 2010 and almost two years after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh in June 2015.

The two countries, during Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's 6-7 June, 2015 Dhaka visit, had indicated to make the relations multidimensional through unveiling a joint declaration “Notun Projonmo - Nayi Disha” which means a lot.

The prime minister, according to foreign ministry, will hold an official talk with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 8 April.

Terming water a very sensitive and extremely important issue in Bangladesh-India relations, a diplomat said Bangladesh is now looking up to the leadership of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi for signing of the Teesta water sharing agreement as agreed between Dhaka and Delhi in 2011.

Government officials remain resolute that Teesta is “not a precondition” for the visit but Bangladesh remains hopeful that the Teesta issue will be resolved timely.

Water resources minister Anisul Islam Mahmud said he is optimistic about the signing of the long-pending Teesta water-sharing treaty with India, but it is quite impossible to say the exact date when the deal will be struck.

"I'm hopeful of Teesta water-sharing deal...but it's impossible to say about the exact date of signing," he said.

Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Friday said the signing of Teesta water sharing deal with India is a matter of time.

He said all the processes to that end are about to complete and it will be signed at an appropriate time.