New Delhi, July 26
India today conveyed to Bangladesh that the Land Border Agreement (LBA) between the two countries would be taken to Parliament for ratification while the government is seeking national consensus on the sharing of Teesta waters and assuring her that on water resources New Delhi will do nothing inimical to the interests of Dhaka.

New Delhi’s stand was articulated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a meeting with the visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni who arrived here to give a push to the LBA or exchange of enclaves between the two countries, an issue being opposed by the BJP, and the pending Teesta waters agreement, on which the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has reservations. In order to reach across the aisle, the visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister met Arun Jaitley, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and later expressed the hope that both these stalled issues would witness a movement. Her Delhi trip was also significant as it was expected to pave the way for the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the later part of the year, before Bangladesh heads for the General Elections.

Official sources said the Prime Minister told Dipu Moni that the government intends to take up the LBA to Parliament. The pact signed during the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka in September 2011 envisages transfer of 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladesh enclaves in India where approximately 51,000 people reside.

The agreement fulfils the 1974 Indira-Mujib vision but ratification by Parliament is held up on account of domestic opposition.

On Teesta, Manmohan Singh said while the government is seeking national consensus on the matter, he noted that water continues to flow to Bangladesh and data sharing in this regard is also taking place regularly. CPM general secretary Prakash Karat extended support on both these issues.

Prime Minister also reiterated to Bangladesh Foreign Minister India’s vision on water resources and assured that nothing inimical to Bangladesh’s interests would be done. He suggested that Bangladesh join as a stakeholder in the Tipaimukh project. The dam across Barak river in Manipur is envisaged for both flood control measure and hydro-electric power generation but is resisted by people in Bangladesh where experts feel it will affect the flow of water affect agriculture and marine life downstream.

The Prime Minister noted that bilateral trade has grown impressively with exports by both countries rising. Exports from Bangladesh to India last year stood at $ 565 million, the highest ever to India.

By September this year, he said, 500 MW of power would be flowing to Bangladesh with inter-grid connectivity while the NTPC-assisted Khulna coal-based power project would be initiated around the same time.