Bangla PM arrives, visit to brighten up bilateral ties

New Delhi, Mar 20 (UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia arrived here today 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.

MORE UNI RB AT KN1718