Bangladesh a friendly country: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Jan 7: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will embark on a three-day visit to Bangladesh next month, today said the country is a friendly neighbour.

"Bangladesh is a friendly country and our neighbour. We have always maintained good relations with that country," Banerjee told the Bengal Global Business Summit here.

Banerjee will pay a three-day visit to Bangladesh starting February 19 on the occasion of Bhasha Divas. She accepted the invitation which reached her on Saturday and is expected to meet Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Her visit assumes significance in the backdrop of her steadfast opposition to the Teesta water-sharing treaty between the two countries and reservation against the Land Boundary Agreement.

In 2011, the Chief Minister had backed out at the eleventh hour from the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh, opposing the Teesta treaty.

Although her government has not indicated any softening of stand on Teesta, it has of late indicated that it would accept the Land Boundary Agreement on exchange of enclaves between the two countries.

PTI