Dhaka/New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last evening arrived in Dhaka on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, her first standalone foreign visit since taking over, that is part of the Narendra Modi government’s outreach to India’s neighbours.
The visit is expected to see two key outstanding issues taken up — the Teesta water sharing deal and the Land Boundary Agreement — both of which have been hanging fire.
Ahead of the visit, Sushma Swaraj called up West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to brief her about the trip and as “preparations for
the visit”.
She spoke to Banerjee yesterday afternoon. The call assumes significance as the Trinamool Congress chief had refused to go ahead with the Teesta water sharing deal with Bangladesh in 2011. Banerjee, whose party was then a part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, had backed out from being part of the delegation accompanying former prime minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh, causing embarrassment to the government.
The Indian delegation is expected to raise issues like illegal migration and market access.
Sushma Swaraj will be meeting her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, and call on President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
She is also likely to meet opposition leaders, including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Talks between Sushma and her Bangladeshi counterpart would be held at the Foreign Ministry office in Dhaka today morning, after which she would call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
IANS
