Dhaka conveys Tipai concerns to Delhi

Bangladesh yesterday conveyed its concerns to India over the Tipaimukh power project while New Delhi assured Dhaka that nothing would be done to harm the interests of Bangladesh.

The assurance was given to Foreign Minister Dipu Moni by Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna during a meeting at the South Block here in the afternoon, diplomatic sources said.

Dipu Moni raised the issue of Tipaimukh in the wake of growing concerns in Bangladesh over the possible impact of the project, which is proposed to come up in North Eastern Indian state of Manipur, on availability of water of Barak river to the lower riparian country.

Krishna is understood to have told Dipu Moni that India would not do anything or take any decision which would harm Bangladesh's interests.

After the meeting with Krishna, Dipu Moni held another meeting with Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the latter's Parliament office.

This was the first high-level political contact between the two countries since Awami League government came to power in Bangladesh and Congress-led UPA government took over office for the second consecutive term in India this year.

India agreed to give technical expertise for dredging of major rivers in Bangladesh, sources said adding New Delhi's response was to a request from Dhaka in this area.

Dipu Moni delivered a letter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Mukherjee to be passed on to Indian Premier Manmohan Singh who is now in Italy busy attending a summit with top leaders of industrialised countries.

The Indian leaders assured Bangladesh of support in converting the latter's rail tracks from metre gauge to broad gauge and manufacturing train coaches, sources said.

Both sides agreed to make it easier for their exporters to get multi-entry visa for hassle-free movement to help facilitate bilateral trade.

In this context, Dipu Moni pointed to certain infrastructure shortcomings on Indian side at the border trading points, to which Krishna and Mukherjee responded by assuring that these would be improved.

Dipu Moni's meetings with Krishna and Mukherjee were viewed as the groundwork being done ahead of Hasina's proposed visit to India next month, sources said.

Dipu Moni, who held talks with the two Indian ministers on her way to Colombo to attend a SAARC ministerial meeting, is expected to make another trip to Delhi either this month or early August.

Describing her talks with Indian leaders 'successful', Dipu Moni said the objectives of her visit have been 'fulfilled'.

She said the talks were 'friendly and smooth' largely because the talking points prepared by both sides were mostly common encompassing the entire gamut of bilateral relations.