Dhaka, Delhi discuss Indian visa on arrival

Bangladesh and India yesterday discussed the implementation of visa-on-arrival facility which New Delhi had proposed earlier for citizens of Bangladesh and several other countries.
The issue was discussed when visiting Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque met Indian Home Secretary Anil Goswami in New Delhi.
During the meeting held in North Block, Haque raised the issue of difficulties the Bangladeshis face in booking hotels for security reasons in India.
Goswami told him that necessary instructions would be given to ensure that the problem is eliminated.
India had recently decided to extend visa-on-arrival for a number of countries, including Bangladesh. The proposal is expected to be implemented from October.
At the meeting, both sides noted the "unprecedented" security cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the last five years, particularly between the two border forces for an increasingly effective border management.
Recognising that the number of killing of Bangladeshi nationals at the border has reduced significantly in recent times, Haque expressed hope that sustained efforts taken by the Indian side would help bring down the killings to zero.

The Indian home secretary reassured Haque that BSF was exercising utmost restraint in this regard.  
On the last day of his four-day visit to India, Haque yesterday also met the textiles and power secretaries of India.
During the meeting with the power secretary, Bangladesh wanted to increase its quota of power supply from India and had sought an additional 500 MW of electricity.
Asked if the ministry would consider the request, an official said: "It's too soon to comment. We have to evaluate the proposal."
In 2012, India agreed to supply 500MW of electricity to Bangladesh from power plants in the eastern region.
According to the pact, Bangladesh will import 250MW from Indian government and 250MW from a private firm.
During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction at the "tangible progress" achieved in power sector.
They agreed to put in place the necessary infrastructure for supplying an additional 500MW of power by India to Bangladesh through the Bheramara-Baharampur grid and 100MW of power from Palatana power plant.
The two countries also agreed to work together in the area of hydro-power cooperation.
In the meeting with the textiles secretary, the foreign secretary sought an immediate discussion to design a mechanism for continued collaboration to deal with production, development and marketing of jute and jute products.     
Both sides agreed that officials concerned of the two countries should soon start working on the modalities. The foreign secretary said this would add a new dimension to the relations between the two countries.
The foreign secretary will return home today.