Khaleda and Hasina also expressed their hope to visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Shaivshankar Menon that the friendly ties between India and Bangladesh will be strengthened further through the meeting at the foreign secretary level.

Menon called on the BNP chairperson and the Awami League (AL) president yesterday.

During their separate meetings with Menon, both the leaders elaborately discussed bilateral issues including the Ganges water-sharing accord, security, exchange of information, border terrorism, duty-free access of Bangladeshi goods to India, Chittagong Hill Tracts peace accord and reducing of imbalanced trade deficit.

HASINA'S MEETING
After Hasina's nearly 45-minute meeting at Sudha Sadan, the AL chief's special personal aide Dr Hassan Mahmud told reporters that Hasina and Menon also held one-to-one exclusive talks for a short time following their discussion on different bilateral issues.

At the meeting, which started at 10:45am, Hasina told Menon that India is a friendly country and the AL will extend its cooperation to help develop the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Asked if the current political development came up at the meeting, Hassan said, "It came up but not in an elaborate manner."

Police did not allow AL leaders Matia Chowdhury, Mukul Bose and Abdul Mannan Khan and journalists to enter Sudha Sadan during the meeting.

"Sheikh Hasina invited all presidium members to attend the meeting. She felt insulted as none was allowed to enter Sudha Sadan," Hassan said.

Hasina also expressed resentment at the government step.

The Indian foreign secretary did not talk to the press after the meeting as the police forced journalists, who tried to stop Menon's car at a security check post, to clear the road.

AL Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty were present at the meeting.

KHALEDA'S MEETING
A BNP statement said Khaleda told the Indian foreign secretary that Bangladesh always gives preferences to its friendly relationship with India.

Focusing on different initiatives taken by her government with India, she expressed her hope that the foreign secretary level meeting between the two countries will continue in future and problems will be solved through meetings and bilateral relationship will be boosted up.

At the meeting Menon conveyed to Khaleda the greetings of Indian premier Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Thanking Manmohan and Sonia, Khaleda also urged Menon to convey her greetings to them.

Adviser to the BNP chairperson Riaz Rahman, the foreign ministry director general and the Indian high commissioner were present at the meeting.