Teesta: Technical team to visit Bangladesh soon to discuss conservation, management

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said a technical team will soon visit Bangladesh to discuss the Teesta River conservation and management issues.

He said India will also start e-medical visa facility for Bangladeshis.

PM Narendra Modi said they have taken the initiative to open a new Assistant High Commission in Rangpur for the convenience of the people of the North West region of Bangladesh.

"I wish both the teams all the best for the Cricket World Cup match this evening...Bangladesh is India‍‍`s largest development partner and we give utmost priority to our relations with Bangladesh...," he said.

The Indian PM made the remarks after a tete-e-tete and bilateral meeting with Bangladesh PrimMinister Sheikh Hasina at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

He said both countries will benefit from the agreement reached on cooperation in many areas such as Green Partnership, Digital Partnership, Blue Economy and Space.

"We have kept in our focus - Connectivity, Commerce and Collaboration," Modi said.

The two countries have 54 shared rivers.

"We have been cooperating on flood management, early warning, drinking water projects. We have decided to start negotiations at the technical level for the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty," he said.

They two countries had detailed discussions on further strengthening defence cooperation, from defence production to modernisation of armed forces.

They have decided to strengthen cooperation on counter-terrorism, de-radicalisation and peaceful management of borders.

Modi said Bangladesh is India‍‍`s largest development partner, and they attach the highest priority to their relations with Bangladesh.

He reiterated India‍‍`s commitment to realising Bangabandhu‍‍`s vision of a stable, prosperous and progressive Bangladesh.

"I congratulate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for leading "Sonar Bangla".

Modi said they have prepared a futuristic vision for cooperation in new areas.

Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi on Saturday held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House of the Indian capital city.

Earlier, they had a one-to-one meeting (tete-a-tete).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in New Delhi on a two-day state visit to India, was accorded a warm ceremonial reception by her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.