Highly successful

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday termed her visit to India “highly successful” and her talks with the Indian leaders “fruitful”.
The leader of the opposition in parliament made the remark wrapping up her weeklong visit to India, reports our Delhi correspondent.
“My visit to India was highly successful. I discussed with the Indian leaders how to strengthen Bangladesh's relations with India, and my talks with them were fruitful,” Khaleda said while talking to Bangladeshi journalists, who accompanied her, at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi before flying back to Dhaka.
Earlier, Khaleda called on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She then drove straight to the airport and boarded a flight of Jet Airways at about 12:30 pm.
Asked if BNP would change its policy towards India, Khaleda, who for the first time visited India as the opposition leader, avoided a direct reply and said, “We have to do everything through talks."
She also said her talks with the Indian leaders took place in a “cordial” atmosphere.
During the talks, Khaleda raised different bilateral issues, including border killings, seeking an end to recurrence of such incidents for maintaining strong relations between the two countries.
On her meeting with Pranab, the BNP chief told journalists that they discussed various issues in a very cordial atmosphere.
“I am astonished by the hospitality (India) showed to me. I think this visit is a success," she said.
BNP Vice Chairman and former foreign secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, who accompanied the party chief, said the two leaders had a 55-minute meeting.
At the airport, senior officials of the Indian foreign ministry and those of Bangladesh High Commission saw her off.
The BNP chief and her entourage arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3:05pm.
Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations carrying party flag, festoons, banners and flowers received the party chief outside the airport. They chanted slogans terming her visit "historic".
In response, Khaleda waved her hands to the supporters. She avoided talking to journalists.
In 2006, Khaleda visited India as prime minister.
Her visit this time, a year before the general elections in Bangladesh, drew huge interest in both the neighbouring countries.
Talking to journalists after Khaleda's return home, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said her visit was a big success. He also welcomed India's "change of policy" regarding its relations with Bangladesh.
“India wants to maintain relations with the people of Bangladesh, not with any particular party,” he said.