Dhaka, Delhi sign seven deals

NEW DELHI, Oct 05 (UNB): Bangladesh and India signed on Saturday seven bilateral documents, aiming to take the relations between the two countries to the next trajectory.

The documents were signed, exchanged, adopted and handed over after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House here.

The two leaders witnessed the signing and exchange of the documents - six new and another renewal.

The bilateral documents are MoU for providing a Costal Surveillance System, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for the movement of goods to and from India, MoU on withdrawal of 1.82 cusec of water from the Feni River by India for drinking water supply scheme for Sabroom town, Tripura, agreement over implementation of the Lines of Credit (LoCs) committed by India to Bangladesh, MoU between the University of Hyderabad and the University of Dhaka, renewal of a cultural exchange programme and MoU on cooperation in Youth Affairs.

The two Prime Ministers also jointly inaugurated three bilateral development partnership projects pressing e-plaques-import of bulk LPG from Bangladesh, Vivekananda Bhaban (student hotel) at Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka and Bangladesh-India Professional Skill Development Institute in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh's bilateral relationship with India is considered as good-neighbourly one among the international community due to multifaceted and multidimensional cooperation. "This cooperation, I firmly believe, will continue in the future."

She said the cooperation between the two countries in traditional sectors has significantly enhanced over the past decade.

Earlier in the morning, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had a "warm conversation" with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and reaffirmed India's "highest priority" to her relations with Bangladesh.