Dhaka working on MoUs for land link with Nepal, Bhutan

ANIS ALAMGIR

In a bid to establish land connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan through Indian territory, Bangladesh will handover draft copies of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) to India at the end of this month.
Foreign Secretary Mijarul Kayes told The Independent that the ministries concerned were working on drafting the MOUs.
'As soon as the drafts are ready we will handover those to India to get productive results during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposed visit to India before the end of the year', he added.
Though Bangladesh has transit facilities with Nepal and Bhutan, India is not allowing vehicles from Bangladesh to use its territory to carry goods to Bhutan and Nepal.
During a recent meeting with a visiting Bhutanes minister in Dhaka, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's desire to include Bhutan and Nepal together with India in transit facilities.
Sources in the foreign ministry said, on different occasions, Bangladesh requested India to include Nepal and Bhutan in this important move keeping in mind that this would benefit all the sides.
India agreed to facilitate Nepal-Bangladesh and Bhutan-Bangladesh connectivity during foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni's visit to New Delhi from September 7 to 10 this year.
The sources said, besides connectivity with Bhutan and Nepal, Bangladesh wants some positive response from India on long pending issues like agreement on sharing waters of the Teesta River, before Prime minister's visit to India.
During foreign minister's visit, both sides also recognised the need to expedite negotiations with a view to finalising an agreement for sharing Teesta waters. The government is trying to hold a meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission as soon as possible to discuss water sharing of all the joint rivers with India including the Teesta and asked the Indian authorities to give an early date.
This time, Bangladesh will give emphasis on water sharing of the Teesta as both the sides had already agreed to reach an agreement on it. Out of 54 joint rivers, Bangladesh has only Ganges water sharing agreement with India.
Officials said Bangladesh hope India will allow electrification of Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves from its main land as a humanitarian gesture before Sheikh Hasina's visit to India. Both the countries expressed their intent to resolve outstanding issues relating to Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves and the Tin Bigha Corridor during Dipu Moni's official visit.
In response to the Indian gesture, Bangladesh is ready to provide access to Ashuganj Port to facilitate the transportation of the Over Dimensional Consignments for the Palatana Power Project in Tripura.

published on 11-10-2009, The Independent