Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 5: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is slated to pay an official visit to India in October to hold bilateral talks aimed at addressing issues related to water sharing in the common river, Bangla foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said on Sunday in capital Dhaka.
According to ANI news reports, the development will mark the first official visit of Hasina to India after assuming office as the prime minister of the nation for the straight third term.
Hasina’s Indian visit will be aimed at several issues, including discussion related to all international, regional, and bilateral issues with having a greater focus over the matter of water-sharing from 54 trans-boundary valleys between the two neighbouring nations.
Earlier, a deal – the Teesta water agreement – was expected to be signed on September 6, 2011, between the two nations during an official visit to Dhaka by ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. However, the proposed pact was knocked out after reiterated objections by Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal.
Later, the issue was again discussed during an official visit to Dhaka by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015. Modi had assured Hasina the waterways would be soon shared while looking forward to reaching a common resolution.
Bangladesh and India have 54 common streams shared with the Teesta valley which extends to at least 309 kilometres flowing through Sikkim.
The flow of Teesta river is essential for Bangladesh from Dec to March for what they need 50 per cent of the water supply, while India claims 55 per cent of the share.