Bangladesh welcomes PM Modi's commitment to 'early solution' to Teesta

Bangladesh on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to ensuring the “early solution” to Teesta water issue.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment during the joint statement of the two leaders is very important. He (Modi) says an early solution to the issue (Teesta water) ‘can and will’ be found. This is a new policy statement accepted by Bangladesh,” Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Haque said in a media interaction in New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, on the Teesta water issue, Modi said the pact is important for Indo-Bangla relationship and expressed hope that the West Bengal chief minister will eventually support it.

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“I am very happy that the chief minister of West Bengal is my honoured guest today. I know that her feelings for Bangladesh are as warm as my own. I assure you and the people of Bangladesh of our commitment and continuing efforts,” he said, adding he “firmly” believes that an early solution to the issue “can and will” be found.

Haque said during the interaction between Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India has said that water resources should be a “uniting factor” between the two countries.

Speaking on the additional assistance of USD 500 million by India specially to help its military procurement, he said Bangladesh is not bound to buy arms from India.

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Haque said, the defence partnership between the two countries includes annual consultations between defence forces, training and capacity building cooperation.

India and Bangladesh on Saturday signed 22 pacts in key sectors including defence and civil nuclear but the long-pending Teesta waters sharing agreement remained elusive.

After holding comprehensive talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Modi announced a new concessional Line of Credit of USD 4.5 billion for the neighbouring country and an additional assistance of USD 500 million to help its military procurement.