Settle Teesta issue as promised

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday urged India to settle the Teesta river water sharing deal before the next general election in Bangladesh.

He said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured of resolving the Teesta issue by the end of the current parliament tenure of both India and Bangladesh.

"We're still hoping for a solution. With seven to eight months in hand ahead of the national polls…," the minister said urging a quick solution to the Teesta issue.

Quader, also Awami League general secretary, sought steps to convince the West Bengal chief minister to work positively with New Delhi on the issue.

He was addressing the closing session of Bangladesh-India Media Dialogue-2018 at Radisson Blu hotel as the chief guest. 

"We want to further strengthen our ties with India and media can play a very strong role in that," Quader said. Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies (ICLDS) organised the media dialogue. State Minister for Information Tarana Halim, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Dhaka Dr Adarsh Swaika and others also spoke.