Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has expressed the optimism that his government will introduce and pass a constitutional amendment bill in parliament to give effect to the provisions of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh and its 2011 Protocol in the current budget session.
“He (Pranab) himself said that the bill will be placed and expressed his belief that it would be passed in both the houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) in this session,” Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told reporters after calling on the Indian president at Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday afternoon.
Dipu Moni said the Indian President had also expressed his belief that the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement will also be signed soon.
“I informed him (Pranab) that we (Bangladesh) are also preparing for the ratification of the Protocol of LBA signed in 2011 in our parliament,” she said. “We are hoping that the Teesta agreement would be signed as soon as possible.”
“Discussions are on in this regard with the West Bengal state government,” Dipu Moni quoted Indian leader as saying.
In response to a question from an Indian journalist about the recent attacks on Hindus in the country, the Bangladesh foreign minister described those as “unfortunate and deplorable”, saying that the government had expressed its firm conviction not to tolerate any activity by any quarter to destabilise the country and breach communal harmony.
On another query about the cancellation of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s scheduled meeting with Pranab Monday afternoon, Dipu Moni said she heard about the matter through television news. “It is a hartal called by them. Failure to attend after seeking and fixing an appointment with the president of a country may not be that decent.”
Responding to another question, the foreign minister said that they did not discuss the border killing issue specifically, but discussed the issue with regard to border security and other initiatives being implemented jointly by the two countries.
Asked whether they had any discussion regarding the country’s recent political situation, Dipu Moni replied negative.
Earlier, she said the discussion with the Indian president was very good and productive. “Pranab Mukherjee is a friend of Bangladesh…he was a friend of Bangladesh during 1971 Liberation War. He will remain our friend in our journey together,” she added.
Source : The Daily Star
