Modi left behind a thirsty Bangladesh: Chinese media

From K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi left behind a "thirsty" and "frustrated" Bangladesh as the two countries could not reach an accord on the Teesta river water sharing issue during his visit to Dhaka, Chinese official media said today.

Highlighting various agreements, including the Land Boundary Agreements signed between India and Bangladesh during Modi's visit, state-run Xinhua news agency said, "Modi left behind a thirsty Bangladesh".

"The visit without the Teesta deal is now a matter of deep disappointment for us," the agency said quoting an unnamed expert in Dhaka as saying. Experts say Bangladeshi people are very unlikely to be convinced by Modi's words, it said.

"They say the government of India's West Bengal has diverted almost all of Teesta's water, leaving little for Bangladesh in recent years," it said. The Xinhua commentary said Modi met top political leaders including ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia and held talks on a range of issues.

"The Bangladeshi PM (Sheikh Hasina) said that her meeting with her counterpart was highly fruitful although the key Teesta water sharing deal issue suffered a blow again due to Delhi's reluctance to sign the pact, which frustrated Bangladeshi people and sparked protests," it said.

It quoted a police officer as saying that they detained four including a woman for holding an anti-Modi demonstration near the National Press Club in Dhaka on Saturday evening.

PTI