41 deals under scrutiny for signing during PM\'s visit to Delhi

The government is scrutinising the progress of some 41 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India sometime next month, officials said.
Apart from these, implementation of the long-pending Teesta water- sharing treaty will remain high on the agenda during the high-profile visit, they added.
Sources said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) recently asked six ministries to let it know immediately the latest information about the 41 deals and MoUs which are likely to be signed.
Of these, an agreement between the two countries on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy is ready to be signed. Besides, a MoU on trilateral cooperation among Bangladesh, India, and Russia for successful implementation of the Rooppur nuclear power project is under progress.
Sources said the commerce secretary-level meeting of Bangladesh and India in mid-November agreed on the text of a MoU on border haat. Both sides will now seek cabinet approval and the MoU may be signed during the Prime Minister's visit.
India shared the draft of a framework agreement on cooperation in the area of geostationary communication satellite last year. The texts of the agreement await comments from the concerned officials.
The Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) recently cleared the text of a MoU on cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space. The document of the proposed MoU, which may be signed during the trip, is now awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
An agreement on orbit frequency coordination of 'satellite for SAARC region' also awaits MoFA clearance after getting go-ahead from the BTRC, sources said.
Officials said the draft on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of passenger and cruise services on coastal and protocol routes between the two countries was shared with Bangladesh in September last. Later, the SOP was finalised by the shipping ministry in mid-November and sent to India for comments. If finalised, the SoP may be signed during the Prime Minister's visit.
An agreement or MoU between Bangladesh and India on cooperation in building dry bulk (coal) terminal and multipurpose (container) terminal is under study but a formal draft is yet to be shared.
A draft of an agreement for exchange of technical information and cooperation in regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection, which may be signed during Prime Minister's visit, is awaiting comments from agencies concerned if it gets nod immediately, officials said.     
An inter-agency agreement on cooperation regarding the Rooppur nuclear power plant and a MoU on cooperation in the field of information technology and electronics are also awaiting comments from the agencies concerned for go- ahead.
Some proposed agreements on bilateral investment treaty, MoU between Petronet LNG India and Petrobangla for promoting joint ventures in natural gas sector, MoU on cooperation in the field of medicinal plants, MoU on mutual scientific cooperation in earth sciences for research and development are also at the final stage.
Officials said the SOP on use of Chittagong and Mongla ports for movement of goods to and from India is set to be finalised while a technical agreement on sharing of 'white shipping' between Bangladesh and India Navy is ready for signing.
A SOP for establishment of collaborative relationship to combat trans-national illegal activities at sea and develop regional cooperation between Coast Guards of the two countries is now awaiting Indian comment for finalisation.
Two drafts of MoUs between National Defence Colleges of Bangladesh and India and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Defence Services Command and Staff College, Dhaka for enhancing cooperation in the field of national security and strategic studies were exchanged and are awaiting finalisation.
Some drafts of MoUs on cooperation in education and research, shipbuilding sector, shipyard, audio visual cooperation, container, lighthouse and lightships, defence, re-development of Rabindranath Tagore's house in Kuthibari,  vocational training and SOP on implementation of MoU on fake currency notes are also under examination.
A concept paper for establishing JC Bose Centre of Excellence as a joint Indo-Bangladesh project, and a draft on revised travel arrangement are yet to be exchanged, while a trilateral agreement on Kuri-1 hydropower project and sale-purchase agreement between Numaligarh Refinery Ltd and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation are under process.
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