Hasina expects positive response from India over unresolved issues

Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed hope to get a positive response from India over different unresolved issues, including the Teesta water-sharing one, before her visit to the neighbouring country earlier in October.

"We're optimistic that the unresolved issues between the two countries will be sorted out soon. We hope we'll get positive results over the aforesaid issues before my visit to India," Hasina told the parliament on Wednesday.

The prime minister is scheduled to visit India on October 3-6, to attend the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum scheduled to be held in New Delhi on October 3-4 with the theme 'Innovating for India; Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World', Dhaka Tribune reported.

Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will also be holding a bilateral meeting on October 5. Hasina also said that she will talk to Modi over the water sharing issues between the two countries, including Teesta, during her visit to India.

Noting that Bangladesh has very healthy ties with India, she said new doors have opened in newer areas of mutual cooperation and development. Hasina said Bangladesh and India have already signed agreements on security, trade, power, energy, communications, development assistance, environment, education, infrastructure development, culture and health.

Besides, cooperation has enhanced on different other issues, including blue economy, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, aerospace research and cybersecurity, she added.

About the Teesta water-sharing deal, she said her government's diplomatic efforts are underway to sign the agreement. "The issue is being placed before the highest political levels of the two countries," she was quoted as saying.

Modi during his previous visit to Bangladesh had assured to resolve the Teesta issue with the assistance of the concerned Indian state governments.

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