Modi to visit Dhaka June 6

Staff Correspondent: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to reach Dhaka on June 6.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources confirmed the schedule to media on the Tuesday.


Earlier it was reported that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be accompanied by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when he visits Bangladesh next month.

Modi is scheduled to visit Bangladesh in the first week of June. Significantly, an earlier visit of Mamata to Bangladesh in February was characterised as an “ice breaker” between two countries, after which the Trinamool Congress supported the LBA agreement in Parliament.

Indian newspaper, The Indian Express, confirmed that Mamata has expressed her “willingness” to visit Bangladesh, adding that a senior official of that country’s government said they are waiting for one of “most important historical moments” between the two countries that would “give the bilateral relations a different shape”.

“We have already spoken to the chief minister’s office in Kolkata. We are likely to receive her official confirmation in a day or two. All the required documents from her office are expected to reach our office soon,” the official said.

After ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement by the Indian Parliament, Bangladesh wants the two countries to focus on resolving other long-pending problems such as Teesta water sharing issue and delimitation of maritime boundary.

The Teesta deal was set to be inked during the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh in September, 2011 but was postponed at the last minute due to objections by Mamata.

The Teesta water is crucial for Bangladesh, especially in the leanest period from December to March when the water flow often temporarily comes down to less than 1,000 cusecs from 5,000 cusecs every year.


Nearly four years ago, in September 2011, Mamata Banerjee had opted out of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s entourage to Dhaka.

But if things go according to plan, the chief minister will accompany Narendra Modi to the Bangladesh capital where he is supposed to visit in June to renew the India-Bangladesh friendship treaty.

risingbd/ DHAKA/ May 26, 2015/ Rabiul/ Mahfuz/ Augustin Sujan