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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached Dhaka amid grand welcome by his Bangladesh Counterparts. Modi is on a historic two-day visit to Bangladesh. In his maiden visit, Modi will sign on “Land Boundary Agreement (LBA)”, the vexed border issue over the decades.
PM Modi will be totally occupied for the next two days. His to-do list includes a stren speech in Dhaka and trade talks with Bangladesh officials. Modi will possibly make a coastal shipping agreement with Nawaz Sheriff to allow small vessels through India to various ports in Bangladesh. Currently, the vessels are reaching Bangladesh through Singapore. India is trying to make a pact with Bangladesh to set up ports in that country.
The issue of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement is also likely to come forward in the talks PM Modi will have with Ms Hasina.
India feels improving connectivity with Bangladesh will help linking the Northeastern region with Southeast Asia.
On the trade front, there will be efforts to spur Indian investment in Bangladesh and an MoU may be signed to facilitate setting up of Special Economic Zones by Indian companies in Bangladesh.
The current volume of bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh are on an upswing ever since the Hasina government came to power in January, 2009 and the Indian side will make every effort to strengthen the relationship considering its strategic interests.
Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-km-long border, most of which is porous, and both the countries are likely to try and find ways to enhance security cooperation, particularly to further contain northeast insurgent groups.
The Hasina government has taken steps against northeast militants who used to take refuge in Bangladesh. There has been perceptible decline in activities of Pakistan-backed fundamentalist elements in Bangladesh, and PM Modi would like to further cement bilateral ties with the Hasina government considering India's strategic interests.
India has already announced that the long-pending Teesta water-sharing pact with Bangladesh will not be signed during the visit.
