Khaleda discusses border killings with Sushma
Leader of the Opposition and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday raised the issue of border killings during her meeting with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj who agreed with her that such incidents should be brought down to zero.
Kicking off her week-long official visit to India with an hour-long meeting with Swaraj, senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party and the party's leader in the Lok Sabha, at the latter's residence in South Delhi, Khaleda voiced concern over border killings, BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told media persons at Taj Palace Hotel.
Khaleda also flagged the Tipaimukh power project issue and welcomed the formation of a sub-committee under the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission. She said “acceptable” experts should be included in the sub-committee, according to Chowdhury.
The BNP chief also discussed with Swaraj the Teesta water sharing issue and stressed “the need for finding an acceptable solution and fair share” for Bangladesh, Chowdhury said, adding that the Indian leader of the opposition welcomed her suggestion.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade. When Swaraj pointed to India's decision to allow import of more duty-free items from Bangladesh, Khaleda welcomed it and told Swaraj that there was, however, scope for further opening up of India's market to goods from Bangladesh.
Answering a question, Chowdhury said the internal situation in Bangladesh did not come up at the meeting.
Khaleda arrived in Delhi on Sunday by a Jet Airways flight leading a nine-member BNP delegation at the invitation of India's foreign minister. She met the Indian prime minister yesterday. Khaleda will leave for Dhaka on November 4.
In September, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad had also visited India and met the Indian president and the prime minister.
The visits by the Bangladeshi leaders assume significance as those came ahead of parliamentary polls in Bangladesh towards the end of next year.
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