B`desh hopes India would take `liberal view` to resolve Teesta

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today hoped that India would take a "liberal view" to resolve the longstanding Teesta river water sharing issue.

Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday hoped that India would take a "liberal view" to resolve the longstanding Teesta river water sharing issue.

Hasina made the remarks when visiting External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid called on her here and assured India`s support to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and taking forward the friendly ties. "We hope India will take a liberal view to resolve the problem" and initiate measures to sign the agreement, Hasina said, referring to the Teesta river water sharing issue. The signing of the agreement on Teesta was delayed due to the opposition by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Khurshid also briefed Hasina about the "good meeting" of the Indo-Bangla Joint Consultative Commission he co-chaired with Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni here yesterday. He informed Hasina that President Pranab Mukherjee was looking forward to his visit to Dhaka planned next month. After the meeting which lasted about an hour, Hasina and Khurshid launched new buses, given to Bangladesh under the Indian dollar credit line, for local operations. A total of 50 articulated buses, produced by Indian company Ashok Leyland, are being given to Bangladesh, of which 20 have already been delivered. Speaking on the occasion, Hasina said her government today received USD 50 million as part of the USD 200 million grant given by New Delhi to Dhaka. "This entire amount will be used to construct a bridge over river Padma," she said. Referring to the long-pending Land Boundary Agreement between the two countries signed in 1974, she said, "We hope that the Indian Parliament, keeping in mind the problems faced by the people, will adopt the constitution amendment bill to ratify this agreement." PTI