Dhaka: Bangladesh hopes to find a quick solution to its outstanding issues with India, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said, expressing the hope that the existing neighbourly ties would further warm up.
"We have so many issues with India... these will need to be settled under a continued process," Moni told a press conference here yesterday, a day after returning from New Delhi where she described her talks with Indian leaders as landmark in the relationship of the two countries.
But, Moni said, the existing friendly ties between the two neighbours were expected to intensify the resolution process while Dhaka and New Delhi were expected to sign several landmark treaties during the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi.
Moni`s comments came as the mainstream media here hailed her visit as a landmark one with the Daily Star newspaper today terming it as a "breakthrough", saying "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".
Dhaka-New Delhi tie was said to have witnessed its lowest ebb during the past Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four party alliance government, while a process to improve relations began during the past interim government in emergency-ruled Bangladesh.
Several analysts have time said the traditional relation between the ruling Awami League and the Congress that crucially helped Bangladesh`s 1971 emergence as an independent nation were expected to remove irks in bilateral ties.
During Moni`s four-day visit and her talks with Indian counterpart SM Krishna, India agreed to facilitate Bangladesh`s transit to Nepal and Bhutan, provide at least 100MW power on priority basis, increase trade and communication facilities and resolve other outstanding issues during the foreign minister level talks.
The two sides also agreed to settle three major border related issues of enclaves, lands in adverse possession and un-demarcated border lines under a package and intensify a process to prepare grounds to sign a deal on sharing of waters of the major Teesta river.
The two countries also decided to finalise three agreements on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, transfer of sentenced persons and combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking.
Bangladesh also agreed to allow Ashuganj as a new port of call in response to the request of New Delhi for transport of Indian goods to its northeastern state of Tripura, while New Delhi agreed to facilitate transits between Bangladesh with its two landlocked neighbours of Nepal and Bhutan.
Former external affairs minister and currently India`s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited Bangladesh in February this year and met Moni apart from calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other government leaders.
Bureau Report
