Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrives in Delhi today on four-day visit
New Delhi, September 4
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will arrive here on Monday on a four-day visit with both sides looking to firm up ties in defence, economy and trade and river-water sharing. They would also be looking to remove the technical irritants that have inhibited full exploitation of bilateral commerce.
13th meet between PMs since 2015
- This will be the 13th meeting between the two Prime Ministers since 2015
- Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia with bilateral trade of $18 billion every year
- India’s visa operations in Bangladesh are the biggest globally; about 14 lakh visas are issued annually
- India-Bangladesh cooperation extends to all fields — security, trade and commerce, power and energy, transport and connectivity, defence, rivers, maritime affairs
Having spent six years in the national capital’s Pandara Park after the assassination of her father and founder President of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, she will begin her visit from the dargah of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya.
Battling Islamic fundamentalists in Bangladesh, Hasina will also visit the dargah of another Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer in an expression of her adherence to moderate Islam.
With general elections slated next year, Hasina would be keen on returning with tangible gains that would ease the inflationary pressure, moderate the fuel and food crises and provide a solution to the flood-dry season cycle of common rivers flowing from India.
In addition, withdrawal of anti-dumping duty and removal of non-tariff barriers by both sides, speeding up connectivity and border security and management will also be on the table when Hasina meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday after returning from the Nizamuddin dargah.
