Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday left for Dhaka ahead of signing of documents for operationalising the 1974 Land Border Agreement (LBA) between India and Bangladesh during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit starting tomorrow.


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"I am leaving for Dhaka today to join the programme on operationalising the long-pending LBA there tomorrow," Banerjee said at a programme at the state Assembly before she left for Dhaka. She is scheduled to return to Kolkata tomorrow.


Her trip comes against the backdrop of talks of bonhomie with Modi.


Earlier, Banerjee had consented to the LBA which had been pending for long.


Parliament had recently passed the historic constitution amendment bill seeking to settle India's long-pending border issue with Bangladesh.


The legislation would operationalise the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary agreement that provides for exchange of 161 enclaves adversely-held by the the two countries.


Modi has cleared a rehabilitation package for West Bengal as part of the Indo-Bangla enclave exchange pact.


Talking to reporters before leaving for Dhaka, the chief Minister, however, did not divulge details about any rehabilitation package on the issue offered by the Centre.  


"It will take time to settle the issue. Surveys will be conducted on people residing in those enclaves before preparing the lists of people of both the countries. We will get funds in phases. Temporary shelter has to be built. Opinions of 60,000 to 70,000 people have to be taken about who wants to stay in which side before undertaking rehabilitation programme," Banerjee said.


Banerjee also said that another agreement on Sundarbans River Tourism Project could be signed between the two countries in the presence of World Wide Fund for Nature.


Under this Rs 300 crore project, Cruise vessesl of both the countries would operate the stretch of the Sundarbans taking tourists on board, she said.


Banerjee told reporters at the NSC Bose International airport before emplaning for Dhaka on an Air India flight that everybody should pray that relations between the two countires is further strengthened and long lasting.


"In future the two countries will work together for the betterment of people of both countires", she said.


Banerjee earlier released a book "Platinum Jubilee Memoirs" to mark the 75 years of the West Bengal assembly.


"I am proud to be a part of this house, which has been witness to an illustrious past with many incidents and people making their mark. I express my respects to the highest seat of democracy," Banerjee said.