Manmohan Singh arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday on a two-day trip, accompanied by the minister for external affairs and four chief ministers of the bordering states. He is reciprocating the visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January last year.
Indian water resources minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and West-Bengal chief minister, who were in the list of the entourage of the Indian prime minister, did not come as Mamata was apparently testy over the proposed modalities of the Teesta water sharing.
The prime ministers had one-on-one meeting before and after the official talks on the Day-1 of his tour. After the meeting, both the prime ministers signed framework agreement on cooperation for development, and witnessed signing of one protocol, addendum of one protocol and eight memoranda of understanding.
However, following strong opposition from West-Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Bangladesh and India could not sign the agreements on Teesta and Feni water sharing. Manmohan in his speech said, "Our common rivers need not be sources of discord, instead can become the harbingers of prosperity to both the countries. "We have decided to continue discussions to reach a mutually acceptable, fair and amicable arrangement for the sharing of the waters of Teesta and Feni rivers."
International affairs adviser to the prime minister Gowher Rizvi, one of the key coordinators of the Indian premier's visit, said some consultations were needed in India before the agreement was signed. "We have agreed in principle on the modalities of the agreement and are hopeful of signing the deal within couple of months," he said. When asked if Bangladesh sought any explanation from India, he said, "There is no need to seek explanation. We understand the reality." "We had landmark success in the visit and now it is time to celebrate," he said.
Indian foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai in Delhi on Monday said any agreement between New Delhi and Dhaka on sharing of the Teesta water would have to be acceptable to the West Bengal government as well as to Bangladesh. He, however, said the proposed deal on sharing of the water of Feni between Bangladesh and India was on track. But he was non-committal on the deal on Teesta. "Water is a very sensitive issue. Nothing is done or will be done without the consent of the state government," Mathai told journalists, in response to a query whether the deal on Teesta would be signed during prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka.
The government signed a protocol to implement the land boundary agreement signed in 1974. Manmohan said, "We have signed a Protocol to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) of 1974. With this, both the countries have now demarcated the entire land boundary as well as resolved the issue of status of the enclaves and adversely possessed areas." He continued, "As the prime minister Sheikh Hasina just announced, we have worked out 24-hour access to the enclaves of Dahagram-Angarpota through the Tin Bigha Corridor."
Hasina earlier in her speech said "I would like to announce that from now on, our people in Dahagram and Angorpota will have 24-hour unfettered movement through the Tin Bigha Corridor." The land boundary problems have persisted since 1947, and to resolve the issue, a joint headcount was conducted recently that found about 51,000 people live in these enclaves – 34,000 in Bangladesh and 17,000 in India. Bangladesh has 111 Indian enclaves and India houses 51 Bangladeshi enclaves.
Dhaka and Delhi did not exchange any 'letter' on transit to pave the way for smooth movement of goods through Bangladesh. Asked if Bangladesh did not agree on transit as India did not sign water agreement, Gowher Rizvi said, "Our relationship is based on trust. We don't believe in such relationship where if you don't get anything you will reciprocate by not giving other things."
