India 'positive' on giving rail transit
Sunday, 15 November 2009
India has "responded positively" to giving Bangladesh railway transit to carry its products to Nepal, Foreign Secretary Md Mijarul Quayes said Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
Briefing journalists after meeting his Indian counterpart, Quayes said, "India praised Bangladesh for its role in security-related issues."
Quayes said he and Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao also resolved to mitigate outstanding border problems "as soon as possible".
"During the talks, Rao said border killings should stop immediately," said Quayes.
Frequent killings of Bangladeshis by the India's Border Security Force are one of the thorny issues between the two countries.
There are more than five kilometres of un-demarcated land boundary between Bangladesh and India.
Quayes said Bangladesh, as announced in a recent joint statement, would allow India to carry machinery to its north-eastern states to set up a power plant.
He said India would sell 250 megawatts of electricity produced at the power plant in Palatana.
Replying to a question on whether Bangladesh would give India multi-modal transit facilities via Ashuganj, Quayes said, "There was no mention of declaring Ashuganj as a port of call in the joint statement".
He, however, said any development could take place during the highest-level, i.e. upcoming prime minister-level, talks.
Hasina will meet her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in Delhi during the three-day tour in December.
The secretary said the two countries would sign three agreements during the visit.
These are an agreement on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons, and an agreement on combating international terrorism, organised crimes and illegal drug trafficking.
India in recent years has blamed Bangladesh for harbouring anti-India groups, in particular banned separatist organisations though that tone has changed since Hasina came to power in January.
Briefing journalists after meeting his Indian counterpart, Quayes said, "India praised Bangladesh for its role in security-related issues."
Quayes said he and Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao also resolved to mitigate outstanding border problems "as soon as possible".
"During the talks, Rao said border killings should stop immediately," said Quayes.
Frequent killings of Bangladeshis by the India's Border Security Force are one of the thorny issues between the two countries.
There are more than five kilometres of un-demarcated land boundary between Bangladesh and India.
Quayes said Bangladesh, as announced in a recent joint statement, would allow India to carry machinery to its north-eastern states to set up a power plant.
He said India would sell 250 megawatts of electricity produced at the power plant in Palatana.
Replying to a question on whether Bangladesh would give India multi-modal transit facilities via Ashuganj, Quayes said, "There was no mention of declaring Ashuganj as a port of call in the joint statement".
He, however, said any development could take place during the highest-level, i.e. upcoming prime minister-level, talks.
Hasina will meet her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in Delhi during the three-day tour in December.
The secretary said the two countries would sign three agreements during the visit.
These are an agreement on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons, and an agreement on combating international terrorism, organised crimes and illegal drug trafficking.
India in recent years has blamed Bangladesh for harbouring anti-India groups, in particular banned separatist organisations though that tone has changed since Hasina came to power in January.