India to build coastal surveillance system in Bangladesh; Dhaka to provide LPG to India's Northeast

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met on Saturday for more than 1 hour during which delegation-level talks also took place.

India will be building Coastal Surveillance System in Bangladesh which will be the second Surveillance System New Delhi will be building in the neighbourhood after the Maldives. 20 units are expected to be placed by New Delhi and the aim is to increase Bangladesh's maritime domain and keep an eye on the shared Indo-Bangla coast.

PM Modi said, "India, Bangladesh ties are an example of good neighbourly ties." with PM Hasina saying "cooperation will be strengthened in future"

Both Indian PM & Bangladeshi PM inaugurated 3 projects in energy, skill and social areas through remote control. 

On the energy front, Dhaka will be providing LPG to North-East India. PM Modi said the project will be a "win-win" for both sides. This will be the second "energy bridge" after the "maitree pipeline", which is 130 km pipeline that will connect Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in Bangladesh. 

12 projects have been inaugurated by both sides in a year including 3 on Saturday and 9 through video conference in the last few months. 7 agreements were signed including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on withdrawal of 1.82 cusecs of water from the Feni river by India for drinking water supply to Sabroom town in Tripura. The agreement was crucial because of the high arsenic content in Sabroom town's water.

TEESTA, NRC, ROHINGYA DISCUSSED

Contentious issue including Teesta was discussed by both the leaders. PM Sheikh Hasina highlighted that the "people of Bangladesh are awaiting early signing and implementation" of the Teesta water-sharing agreement. PM  Modi said that "his government is working with all stakeholders in India for the conclusion of the Agreement as soon as possible."

Both sides are looking to ink agreement on water sharing for 7 rivers--Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, Dudhkumar and Feni River.

Focusing on the issue of NRC, PM Modi appreciated "Bangladesh’s generosity in sheltering and providing humanitarian assistance" to Rohingya Refugees displaced from Myanmar. New Delhi will soon supply the fifth tranche of humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. India has been providing assistance since September 2017 under 'Operation Insaniyat' for which PM Hasina conveyed the gratitude of Bangladeshi govt.

The NRC issue was raised by the Bangladeshi side, with an Indian govt source saying "matter was raised. We pointed out that it was the ongoing process and we have to wait for the outcome. Its court-mandated and court directed."

There was a passing reference of developments in Kashmir and revocation of special status during Hasina-Modi talks and Bangladesh's "clear position which is appreciated by New Delhi and their statement is on record", a govt source said.

SAARC was not discussed in Modi-Hasina meet, though both sides agreed "to streamline the activities of BIMSTEC."

Connectivity, the big focus 

To boost people to people ties and connectivity, Bangladesh has decided to remove restrictions on products being traded through Akhaura-Agartala port. Frequency of Maitree Express has been increased from 4 to 5 times per week and that of Bandhan Express from 1 to 2 per week. Both sides have agreed on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the movement of goods from India's northeast to rest to India over Bangladeshi territory. 

PM Modi is likely to visit Bangladesh next year in March. The 100th birth anniversary of the father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be celebrated on  March 17, 2020, and this could be the occasion of PM Modi's visit.

A govt source said, "we are keen to participate in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary in 2020, an invitation has been extended and accepted"

Bangladeshi PM, last week, participated in the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi hosted at the United Nations in New York.

The issue of high onion prices was not raised during the meet but India's trade minister Piyush Goyal has assured that all contracted supplies to Bangladesh in the pipeline should go through as soon as possible. On Friday, Bangladeshi PM publically highlighted the high cost of onion in her country after India banned the export of the staple.