Sushma Swaraj's Dhaka visit
THE Dhaka visit by Sushma Swaraj as external affairs minister of the one month old BJP-led government in New Delhi has gone down well with observers in Bangladesh. The importance the new government of India attaches to Bangladesh has been amply illustrated by its choice of Dhaka as the first destination of diplomatic engagement after Thimpu.
The outcome of her visit can be seen in two parts -- one, it has provided an impetus to break new grounds in the areas of economic and trade cooperation, and two, India wishes to contribute to the infrastructure building processes in Bangladesh as well as in the region. In specific terms, India wants to continue in its efforts to bring down border killings to zero level; create a relaxed visa regime for under 13 and above 65-year-old persons; initiate Dhaka-Shillong-Gowahati bus service on an experimental basis and allow import to Bangladesh of 100 MW electricity from Palatana plant in Tripura in India
On the outstanding issues of Teesta Water Sharing Treaty and ratification of the land boundary agreement, Sushma Swaraj has assured Bangladesh of a vigorous consensus building process among political parties in India.
In the end, one gets the impression that her meetings with different political leaders in Bangladesh have been in the best tradition of India's democratic culture. The emphasis on people to people relation augurs well for reinforcing closer ties between the two neighbours.
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