'Bangla PM Zia going to India with open mind'

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Dhaka, Mar 16: Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan today (Mar 16, 2006) termed Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's coming visit to India as important, saying she will discuss bilateral issues with her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh with an open mind.

''Our relations with India are very important economically, geographically and strategically too,'' he told reporters here today, ahead of Ms Zia's three-day official visit beginning March 20.

Mr Khan said trade imbalance, removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers to Bangladeshi products, sharing of waters of common rivers, including Teesta, and security concerns are likely to come up during the meeting between Ms Zia and Dr Singh scheduled for March 21.

''We'll also try to explore new areas of cooperation during the visit,'' he added.

Referring to the country's nearly 2 billion dollar trade deficit with India, the Foreign Minister said New Delhi should remove tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers to bridge the gap so as to have an equitable share of trade between the two countries.

During the Prime Minister's visit, Bangladesh and India are expected to renew the existing trade agreement for another three years.

On sharing of waters of the common rivers, the minister said as the study on the flow of the Teesta River has already been completed, there should be an agreement on that issue. In the absence of adequate flow of the Teesta, he said the expensive Teesta Barrage in northern Bangladesh is getting non-operational.

''We think that both the sides should discuss the matter and understand the sensitivity of each other,'' he added.

Asked about Bangladesh's security concern, he said Bangladesh and India have a long porous border of about 4,500 km.

Mr Khan said many hardened Bangladeshi criminals took refuge in India after committing crimes. A list of such criminals has been handed over to the Indian authorities, he added.

Reiterating his country's policy he said, ''We'll not allow Bangladeshi land to be used against any neighbour or any foreign country.'' The present government has reactivated functioning of various bilateral committees like JRC, JEC and Joint Working Group on border and identified problems for solution, the minister added.

UNI

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