NATIONAL
Dhaka, Delhi seal LBA deal
Bangladesh and India yesterday exchanged letters of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement 1974, resolving the long standing issue. Implementation of the deal will end sufferings of residents of 162 enclaves. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar signed and exchanged the protocol of exchange at the Prime Ministers Office in Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi witnessed the signing and exchange, along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. With this, the process of implementing the agreement, which was ratified by Bangladesh in 1974, will start to settle the citizenship issue of about 51,000 residents in 162 enclaves. The days development will also settle issues relating to demarcation of boundary and adversely-possessed land.
This afternoon, we exchanged the letters of ratification of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement. With this, a 68-year-old humanitarian issue comes to a peaceful end, Prime Minister Hasina said in a joint statement with Modi after the exchange.
We are extremely happy that the land boundary issue has finally been resolved. I appreciate Prime Minister Modis leadership in achieving it. We also thank the people of India and all the political parties in India for their unequivocal support to the agreement, she said. History is made as the instruments of ratification of land boundary agreement are exchanged, Modi said in a twitter post right after the exchange. We have shown political resolve and mutual goodwill with the Land Boundary Agreement, he said while making a joint statement with Hasina at the Prime Ministers Office. Apart from this, 21 more agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding were signed on the day.
Of them, deals were signed to introduce bus services between Dhaka and Guwahati and Kolkata to Agartala via Dhaka, reflecting the desire of the two neighbours to enhanced connectivity. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said greater connectivity is vital for the development of the two countries and for the region. The signing of the Coastal Shipping Agreement, renewal of the Trade Agreement and the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, as well as flagging off new bus services are examples of our commitment to seamless connectivity across the region to reduce inequalities and maximising welfare gains, she said. On the launching of the two bus services, the Indian Prime Minister said the services will connect the two countries and their citizens more easily. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present during the flagging off of the two bus services.
Earlier, Modi arrived in the capital in the morning on a two-day visit to Bangladesh. A special Indian Air Force plane carrying the Indian Prime Minister and his delegation landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 10:00am.
There is no minister in the Indian Prime Ministers delegation. His team includes National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, foreign secretary Dr S Jaishankar, officials, security people and media personnel. Additionally, there are about 100 Indian journalists in Dhaka to cover the visit. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received her Indian counterpart at the VVIP terminal of the airport. Following the ceremony at the airport, Modi travelled to the National Mausoleum in Savar to pay tribute to the martyrs in the War of Liberation. From there, he went to the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi to pay respect to the late leader. After that, he went to Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, where he has been put up.
