India will discuss modalities of a big ticket visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh during the upcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks, said diplomatic sources.
The bilateral talks will be held on February 23-24 when Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar travels to Dhaka to firm up the agenda of the visit which has failed to take place due to differences over the agenda.
‘Main focus’
“The visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India and the agenda would be the main focus of the discussion, which would also take up other routine issues between two sides,” said a Bangladeshi source.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the meeting between Mr. Jaishankar and his counterpart Md. Shahidul Haque would “review areas of bilateral cooperation, including high-level visits. During the visit, the Indian Foreign Secretary is expected to call on the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.”
Sources said that Mr. Jaishankar would fly to Dhaka from Beijing, in order to hold the first strategic dialogue between two sides.
The Hindu had earlier reported that Prime Minister Hasina’s December 2016 travel to India was earlier cancelled as negative political link between Delhi and Kolkata had made it impossible to take up the revised Teesta water sharing agreement for further discussion.
Replacement package
Talks had also taken place on offering Bangladesh a replacement package that would include a new Ganga barrage to ensure supply of water in the lower riparian stretch of the Ganga and its tributaries inside Bangladesh.
Sources said that Prime Minister Hasina would prefer such a major water-related issue as a breakthrough before the season for the next election begins in the country.
