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Delhi to Dhaka: Efforts on to build consensus on Teesta
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

Mamata stalled it earlier The Teesta agreement was to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh last year but Mamata raised objections at the last minute, saying her state's interests were not being protected. This led to stalling of the much-anticipated pact.

New Delhi, May 7
India today told Bangladesh that it was trying to evolve domestic political consensus for an early conclusion of the Teesta river water-sharing accord with the neighbouring country.

With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee still not on board with regard to signing what has now become a controversial pact, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told her Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni that since water was a sensitive issue, internal consultations were on amongst various stakeholders in India in accordance with the country's tradition of consensual decision-making.

''We are trying to develop a political consensus in India. It is important that the views of all those who are dependent on water are taken into account and burden is shared equitably. Meanwhile, there is no change in the situation...the waters are flowing,'' Krishna said at a joint press conference with Moni after the two ministers co-chaired the maiden meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC).

The Teesta agreement was to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh last year but Mamata raised objections at the last minute, saying her state's interests were not being protected. This led to stalling of the much-anticipated pact.

Issues like Teesta water sharing, extradition treaty and the implementation of the land boundary accord are understood to have figured prominently during the meeting of the JCC, set up during Prime Minister Singh's visit to Dhaka. The two sides also discussed the implementation of the projects Bangladesh has launched under the $ 1 billion Line of Credit (LoC) extended to it by India.

The Bangladeshi minister described her talks with Krishna as productive and useful while reiterating Dhaka's demand that the Teesta agreement be signed as soon as possible.

Moni also noted that the Indian side has reassured her that "there will no unilateral undertaking of linking the Himalayan rivers without consultations with Bangladesh". She expressed the hope that India and Bangladesh would expedite their trade agreements and protocols.

The two sides also reviewed the 24-hour unfettered access to Bangladeshi nationals at Dahagram and Angarporta through the Tin Bigha corridor, the signing of the bilateral boundary strip maps under which a few areas are still to be covered, and the coordinated border management plan to reduce illegal and criminal activities.