India has announced a $ one billion line of credit to Bangladesh for developing its infrastructure which includes construction of railway bridges, setting up of railway coach factories, upgradation of Sahigpur coach factory and dredging. India has also extended a special grant for Akhaura-Agartala rail link.

India would also supply 250 MW power to Bangladesh as part of the MoU signed yesterday for cooperation in power sector. Both the countries signed three accords namely Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons and Agreement on Combating International Terrorism, Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking. As part of the MoU signed for cultural exchange, both the countries will jointly celebrate 150 birth anniversary of the famous poet, Rabindranath Tagore in 2011. India has decided to increase the number of scholarships to Bangladeshi students pursuing their study in India from 150 to 300.

The visiting prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, while addressing the Indian industry on Tuesday said : “Recently for the benefit of our peoples, living in remote areas on either side along the border, we have agreed to open border haats. Decision has also been taken, at the request of India, to open new trade routes through Tegamukh-Demagiri and Sabroom-Ramgarh border points. As for connectivity, several possibilities are being examined taking into account their bilateral and regional dimensions.” The opening of new border haats would facilitate land route trade between the two countries.

She said that Bangladesh had officially agreed to be part of the Asian Highway Network. “ For regional trade and people to people connectivity we have proposed movement of passenger and cargo vehicles to Nepal and Bhutan, from and to Bangladesh. We are also discussing rail and road links with eastern India, similar to that on the western side, for greater benefits of the people of the eastern region,” she said.

It has been agreed upon by both the countries that Ashuganj in Bangladesh and Shilghat in West Bengal will be used as “ports of call.” Mangla and Chittagonj ports will be used for connectivity from Rohanpur in Rajsahi and Singabad in India. For sharing of the water of river Teesta and joint ministerial committee would be set up.

The Bangladesh Prime Minister appreciated the electrification work done by India in Dahagram and Anrapota areas on the India-Bangladesh border.
Ms Hasina called for removing bottlenecks in bilateral trade and to put in place an appropriate settlement mechanism. She said that Bangladesh would certainly appreciate India's favourable response to further duty free access to Bangladeshi commodities to Indian market, removal of non-tariff barriers and improvement of trade infrastructure. Apart from boosting bilateral trade, she invited Indian investment in Bangladesh and also urged Bangladeshi business community to take advantage of the new opportunities in India.

Ms Hasina was emotionally charged when she received the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development from the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil. Recalling the historical and cultural links between the two countries and reciting verses of poems written by Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul, she said that she would not only work for Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) but also for a lasting peace in South Asia.

The award was instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust formed in the memory of the former prime minister of India who played a key role in liberating Bangladesh in 1971.

Ms Hasina paid tributes to Indira Gandhi and said “she was not only your leader, but also our mother. She gave us shelter in our days of trials and tribulations.”

The chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, Sonia Gandhi and Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil highlighted Indira Gandhi's role in liberating Bangladesh and her work and vision in the interests of developing countries.#