Thaindian News

Dhaka, Sep 12 (IANS) Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has termed the meeting with her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna “groundbreaking” as New Delhi has agreed to Dhaka’s request for connectivity with land-locked Nepal and Bhutan.
“Connectivity is a topical issue around the world as it is an integral part of development. So that is why we put emphasis on the issue,” Moni told reporters here Friday after her visit to India.

The Daily Star newspaper Saturday hailed the visit in its editorial as “a breakthrough” and noted the “positive” outcome.

“We thank the Indian side for agreeing to facilitate Bangladesh’s transit to Nepal and Bhutan. However, it has to be recalled that such an agreement was reached earlier but could not be implemented,” the editorial said.

It also complained that little had been done to reduce the trade imbalance weighed heavily in India’s favour and on the contentious issue of India planning to build a dam on the Barak river.

Media reports welcomed the agreement on the sharing of Teesta river waters, but asked that all rivers shared by the two South Asian neighbours be covered in bilateral talks.

The foreign minister also said that Dhaka would allow New Delhi to use its Ashuganj Port only to transport oversized components of the Palatana power project in Tripura in northeastern India.

“It does not mean that we have agreed to let Ashuganj be used as a new port of call under the protocol of the Inland Water Transit and Trade,” New Age newspaper quoted Moni as saying.

A deal would be signed in May 2010 on India’s access to the Ashuganj Port.