New Delhi: In what can be seen as a significant diplomatic development, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is expected to visit India in the coming month. Her visit assumes significance as it is taking place in the midst of ongoing Lok Sabha polls in India. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra will visit Dhaka very soon to finalise the travel plans. The visit as per sources was planned for 20 April but got postponed.
India inviting Bangladesh PM is also seen in the context of her China visit. India certainly hopes to be the first to host Hasina before her China trip. Most importantly, China's involvement in the Teesta hydropower project is another major concern for India. Dhaka has urged Delhi to take up the project, considering its location within Bangladesh's borders.
It is pertinent to note that China in 2020 proposed a major dredging work on the Teesta river and build reservoirs and embankment but Dhaka has kept the multi-million dollar project on hold.
The Teesta water-sharing agreement with India has been in the talks since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government came to power in 2009 and the two neighbours were set to ink an agreement during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s 2011 Bangladesh visit.
In fact, Hasina's visit to New Delhi will see a significant discussion on the volatile situation in Myanmar as it is a major concern for both India and Bangladesh. Both the nations have temporarily closed their consulates in Sittwe, which has impacted trade with Southeast Asia.
After the formation of the new government following the January 7 national election, PM Sheikh Hasina visited Germany in February to attend the Munich Security Conference.
She is also set to visit China sometime in July which is carefully watched by India as Beijing is leaving no stone unturned to influence Dhaka in every possible way. The South Asian giant is insisting on taking up the Teesta river project by putting in billions of dollars.
Sheikh Hasina's visit to India- the largest democracy, also sends out the message to the neighbouring countries about the predicted outcome of the general elections.
It may be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh in March 2021 to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.
The visit at that time symbolised the partnership of half a century between India and Bangladesh that has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region.
During his visit then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the greatest leaders of modern times, will be remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladesh’s emergence as a sovereign country.
