After LBA, India-Bangla should resolve Teesta, other issues: Bangladesh Minister

NEW DELHI: After ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement by the Indian Parliament, Bangladesh today said the two countries should now focus on resolving other long-pending problems such as River Teesta water issue and delimitation of maritime boundary.

Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sharihar Alam, who is in the national capital, said both the countries need to have better cooperation in dealing with issues such as energy and water security, transnational crimes and smuggling of psychotropic substance.

"After this (the Land Boundary Agreement), we expect the Teesta water sharing issue to be resolved. Bangladesh is fortunate to share the longest border with India, both on land and at sea. With the world's attention on Asia, the two countries should successfully resolve the maritime boundary delimitation issue," said Alam, who refused to elaborate on the modalities of the discussion on the issue.

Alam was speaking on the sidelines of 'India-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue' event, organised by Friends of Bangladesh, India Foundation and Bangladesh High Commission.

Lauding India's leadership for a greater intregration and cooperation between South Asian nations, Alam said Bangladesh would like to support this move as a friend and partner.

"We see India as a strategic complement rather than a strategic partner. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has generated new hopes for people across South Asia. Let me assure that we under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would like to partake his hope and we would partake his adventurous acrade as friends and partners," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Bangladesh next month.

Elaborating on the track 2 dialogue process between India and Bangladesh which is to begin tomorrow, he said, "The dialogue would attempt to define the actors, the trends and the peripherials and the optics which shape the economic interaction between the two countries.

"The core areas which require serious deliberations include managing peaceful borders, water and energy security and cross border terrorism," he said.

Speaking on the occassion, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said both the countries have much similarities and can have a greater degree of cooperation and joint management on issues related to energy and water security, floods and transport.