Dhaka: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will arrive on Thursday on a three-day visit to strengthen ties between Bangladesh and her state, raising hopes of a breakthrough in the settlement of Teesta water sharing pact and ratification of the land boundary agreement. Banerjee is due to arrive here this evening, her first visit since she took over as the Chief Minister in 2011.
"We hope that with this visit a conducive environment will be created to resolve the pending issues between Dhaka and Delhi," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam told newsmen on the eve of Banerjee's visit.
"Legally, the bilateral issues are to be resolved by the central governments. But we believe her visit will make it easier to resolve outstanding issues in future."
Bangladesh and India were set to ink the Teesta Agreement during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit in 2011 but Banerjee precluded herself from his entourage at the last minute opposing the treaty. The Teesta deal was shelved as Banerjee had objected to the proposed quantum of waters, saying it would harm her state.
Several analysts have said her visit would be an 'icebreaker' in Dhaka's virtually strained relationship with Banerjee as the trip is expected to make an headway to the ratification of the the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), an issue over which the West Bengal chief minister also expressed her reservation in the past. Ahead of her arrival, Banerjee expressed hope that her Dhaka tour would further strengthen ties between Bangladesh and her state and promote business between the two sides.
"I will carry to Bangladesh the message of enhanced trade links and other exchanges between West Bengal and Bangladesh," she told reporters in Kolkata.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali invited her to join the historic Language Day ceremony in memory of 1952 language martyrs. Bangladesh and West Bengal share a common language and culture. Officials said Dhaka has invited Banerjee coinciding with the occasion of February 21 to deepen soul-ties with West Bengal. Banerjee would lead a 39-member delegation with an aim of increasing trade and investment between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Two senior ministers of her government would also accompany her. She is scheduled to meet President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hold talks with the Foreign Minister.
