Little hope for Teesta agreement.
The chance for signing the much-awaited Teesta water sharing deal is very unlikely to be signed during prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming India visit although it will witness inking of over 30 different types of agreements.
At a press conference at his ministry office on Tuesday, the foreign minister, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, dropped such a hint and said it is not a big deal whether only one deal (Teesta water deal) is signed or not.
The minister asked the people to rather see the ties between the two neighbouring countries -Bangladesh and India - as a whole.
“Given the current state of our relationship, we are discussing different issues. And at this stage, it is not a big deal whether one issue is resolved or not. I don’t want to talk more about this now,” replied the minister when newsmen asked about the possibility of signing of Teesta water sharing deal during Hasina’s India trip.
Although the two countries drafted the Teesta water sharing deal, a much-needed one for lower riparian Bangladesh, six years back, India has all along shown indifference to signing the deal and this time when Bangladesh prime minister is to embark on a four-day official visit to India from 7 April after a long seven years, there are still no signs of signing the deal in sight.
The minister told the media briefing that the Hasina visit will, however, witness as many as 33 treaties and memorandums of understanding (MoU) including the much-debated defence deal.
Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), academics and security analysts have raised questions about the rationality of signing a such deal with neighbouring India.
As asked about the defence deal, the minister didn’t clarify whether a MoU or a treaty will be signed on defence during this visit.
“We can’t really say that right now, unless it is signed. Everything will be disclosed. Nothing will be kept hidden, and those who are now raising questions will be proved wrong,” Ali said.
Foreign ministry officials, however, said the two countries have made preparations for signing a MoU on defence, not a treaty.
A loan of $5 billion awaits the Bangladeshi premier’s visit where $4 billion will be given for executing 18 projects and $500 million will be given to buy military weapons. The loan will be given by Exim Bank India.
The interest rate is 1 per cent and the time for repaying in 20 years, which also has a grace period of five years. A total of 75 per cent of goods will have to be bought from India.
The other sectors where treaties or MoU's may be signed are border market, information and broadcasting, nuclear assistance, science and technology, information and communication technology, satellite and space research, geological science, building community clinics, and electricity and fuel.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will stay at the Viceroy’s House during her Delhi visit as the president, Pranab Mukherjee, invited her to stay there, his official residence.
