Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina accorded ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Delhi, Sep 06: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on Tuesday accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Hasina. She was then accorded a guard of honour.

Interacting with reporters at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Hasina said her talks with Modi would focus on improving the condition of the people in their respective countries, poverty alleviation and economic development.

"Our main aim is to develop the economy and fulfill the basic needs of our people. With friendship you can solve any problem," she said.

Hasina will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, following which the two sides are likely to ink pacts in key areas, including defence, trade and river water sharing.

On the first day of her state visit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the Bangladesh Prime Minister.

"Delighted to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh this evening. The warmth and frequency of our leadership level contacts is a testimony to our close neighborly partnership," Jaishankar tweeted.

Hasina's delegation comprised several ministers Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan and Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haq.

Last month, India and Bangladesh finalised the text of the agreement on interim sharing of the water of the Kushiyara river. The MoU is set to be inked on Tuesday.

The text of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was finalised at the 38th ministerial-level meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) that took place in Delhi on August 25.

India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven were identified earlier for developing a framework of water-sharing agreements on priority.