PM Hasina-Indian PM Modi meeting on August 31

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi may discuss bilateral and regional issues during their meeting in Nepal on August 31.

The two leaders may sit for a meeting after the plenary session of the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation summit in Kathmandu.

Both Bangladesh and India consider the meeting of the two leaders as an important one so far as the bilateral interests are concerned.

The possibility of the meeting of the two premiers comes to the fore as they will attend a two-day BIMSTEC summit, beginning on August 30.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Myanmar President Win Myint, Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha are also expected to join the summit.

Sources said the two leaders may discuss the long standing Teesta Water Sharing Treaty during the pull-aside meeting to be held on the sidelines of the summit.

Soon after Sheikh Hasina’s assumption of office for the consecutive second term through January 5, 2014 election, Narendra Modi came to power in that year.

After assuming office, Modi visited Bangladesh in June in 2015 while Sheikh Hasina visited India in 2017 with a hope of signing the long standing Teesta Treaty.

The Teesta deal was not signed during Sheikh’s Hasina visit to India. But the Indian government assured that the deal will be signed during the tenure of the two premiers.

Though Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi are in their last year in office, the Teesta deal is yet to be signed.

Sources concerned said Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Affairs Ministry have already completed the preparatory work for Sheikh Hasina’s meeting with Modi.

Bangladesh High Commissioner in India has already been included in the delegation of the prime minister, they added.

Apart from the bilateral and regional issues, both the two premiers may discuss Rohingya crisis and international issues, including the regional security, during the meeting.

Diplomatic sources say that the Bangladesh premier may hold separate meetings with top leaders of several member countries on the sidelines of the summit.