Bangla PM arrives, visit to strengthen bilateral ties

New Delhi, Mar 20: Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia arrived here today (Mar 20, 2006) on a three-day official visit aimed at strengthening mutual trust and for holding discussions with Indian leaders on the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

She was received at the airport by Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and other senior officials.

Begum Zia, who is here on her first visit after assuming power in October 2001, will be here upto March 22.

A brief statesment issued by the External Affairs Ministry said the visit may be seen in the context of the policy of sustained and continuous high-level engagement that the Government of India has instituted with Bangladesh.

''Bangladesh is a close and friendly neighbour and the visit is testimony to the importance that both countries attach to bilateral relations,'' the statement said.

The External Affairs Ministry statement said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had met the Bangladesh Premier in November last year in Dhaka on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit.

It said that the Bangladesh Prime Minister would meet the Prime Minister and discuss the ''entire gamut of our bilateral relations.'' Before the talks, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath will call on her.

She will later call on President A P J Abdul Kalam and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. She will also meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The two countries will renew their 1981 bilateral trade agreement and are expected to sign another on preventing cross-border smuggling of drugs and psychotropic substances while New Delhi will raise its concerns about terrorism during the talks, sources said.

The bilateral trade agreement which was signed in 1981, is due to expire on March 31.

This is Begum Khaleda Zia's maiden trip to India after assuming power in October 2001, being undertaken at the invitation of the Prime Minister. The Bangladesh Prime Minister is heading a 48-member official entourage as well as a 40-strong business delegation. Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, Foreign Minister Morshed Khan and Advisor for Foreign Affairs Reaz Rahman are also on the entourage.

On March 22, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi and Leader of Opposision L K Advani will call on her.

She will also have a business luncheon meeting with CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM before leaving for home.

The visit is aimed at boosting bilateral ties which have been at low ebb for the past many years on several contentious issues including border fencing, northeast insurgents taking shelter in Bangladesh territory, illegal migration and other such cross-border activities.

The two countries are separated by a more than 4000 KM. border.

India is fencing the border to stop all illegal activities while Bangladesh is objecting to fencing within 150 yards of the zero line.

However, only 2500 km out of 4000 KM can be fenced which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The remaining 1500 km cannot be fenced because it is mainly riverine.

Also, India says many ULFA leaders have taken shelter inside Bangladesh and that terrorists linked to several attacks in India have links in that country, Dhaka categorically denies India's claims.

Border guarding forces of the two countries--BSF and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)--have had occasional skirmishes during the past few years which threatened to torpedo bilateral relations.

UNI