Modi talks cricket with Hasina
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday phoned Sheikh Hasina to wish Bangladesh success in the 2015 Cricket World Cup beginning today in Australia and New Zealand.
Though the diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi described Modi's move as "cricket diplomacy”, they believe the two premiers reviewed the status of Indo-Bangla ties.
Modi is understood to have told Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that India was committed to resolving the longstanding bilateral issues including the Land Boundary Agreement and the Teesta Water-sharing deal.
Meanwhile, the state-owned BSS news agency reported that Modi told Hasina he would visit Dhaka very soon "with good news".
"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning phoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, wished her wellbeing and said that he would visit Dhaka very soon with good news," PM's Private Secretary-1 Abdul Malek was quoted by the BSS as saying.
Modi phoned Hasina around 10:30am, sources at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told The Daily Star, adding that Hasina too wished the Indian team success in the biggest event in the cricketing world.
However, the duration of the conversation could not be known immediately.
Modi also said Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar would visit Dhaka, according to sources.
On his twitter page, Modi said he had spoken to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to convey “best wishes” to their teams for the WC.
"Cricket connects people in our region & promotes goodwill,” Modi said in a tweet. “Hope players from SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] region play with passion & bring laurels to the region.”
"5 SAARC Nations are playing & are excited about the World Cup. Am sure WC will celebrate sportsman spirit & will be a treat for sports lovers," the Indian PM said in another tweet.
Hasina could not attend Modi's swearing-in last year but she held substantive meetings with Modi on September 27 last year on the sidelines of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and on November 26 at the 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu.
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