India, Bangladesh Not Just 'Pass Pass' But 'Saath Saath': Modi

DHAKA: India and Bangladesh are not just “pass pass” (close to each other) but also “saath saath” (together), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here.

Addressing intellectuals in Dhaka at the end of his two-day visit, Mr. Modi said not just Asia but the entire world “will do a detailed post-mortem” on India-Bangladesh ties following his visit to see what has been gained.

“But if in one sentence I am to describe the ties, people will think that we are ‘pass pass’ but now the world will have to accept that we are not just ‘pass pass’ but ‘saath saath’,” he said to loud applause.

He said his two-day visit has ended, but “I feel that actually the yatra (in ties) has just begun”.

“I have an emotional attachment with Bangladesh,” he added.

India, Bangladesh to expeditiously implement LBA on ground

Earlier, significantly scaling up bilateral ties, India and Bangladesh said they have decided to expeditiously implement the historic Land Boundary Agreement on the ground and cooperate in a wide array of areas such as civil nuclear energy, petroleum and power.

A joint declaration titled ‘Notun Projonmo — Nayi Disha’ (New Generation, New Direction), said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina had agreed to “further enhance cooperation” in the energy sector particularly in renewable energy and nuclear energy.

“Both Prime Ministers agreed to cooperate in the field of civil nuclear energy, especially training for technical personnel,” the statement said giving an insight into the issues discussed during Mr. Modi’s meeting with Ms. Hasina on Saturday.

Significantly, the statement said Mr. Modi and Ms. Hasina have given directives to the concerned officials on both sides for “expeditious implementation of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and its 2011 Protocol on the ground.”

On the first day of Prime Minister Modi’s maiden visit in Dhaka on Saturday, the two sides had swapped documents regarding the LBA that paves the way for the operationalisation of the 1974 pact under which 161 enclaves under the control of either countries will be exchanged.
READ ALSO:
Pharma Department Mulls Ban On Sale Of Baby Food Items At Pharmacies