Pranab to tour Bangladesh in Feb

Terrorism, trade and port transit issues are likely to dominate bilateral talks as External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee becomes the first high-level Indian dignitary to visit Bangladesh since the assumption of office by the new government led by Sheikh Hasina.

Mukherjee will travel to Bangladesh in early February and his visit is likely to coincide with an upcoming decision by Bangladesh's High Court on a plea for political asylum by ULFA leader Anup Chetia, who completed his detention term in December.

India has said it will expedite efforts for the extradition of Chetia. The talks are also likely to focus on cooperation between the two countries on terrorism and presence of leaders of north-east militant groups in Bangladesh.

"We expect him to visit Bangladesh in the first week of February but the exact date of his tour is yet to be available here," an Indian High Commission spokesman told PTI.

His comments came a day after Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty hinted that terrorism and transit issues would dominate Mukherjee's planned talks with the leaders of the new government in Bangladesh.

"There is no compromise on the issue of terrorism. We'll jointly move against the terrorists in the subcontinent," Chakravarty told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Law Minister Shafique Ahmed yesterday.

On the issue of port transit, he said it was not a "political issue" and India was seeking transit connections to ports for its northeastern states to enhance trade.

Meanwhile, commerce minister Farook Khan said that Bangladesh would discuss unresolved issues, including imbalanced trade, with Mukherjee.

"All unsettled issues will be put on table for discussion in the greater interest of the country and we hope we'll be able to resolve the issues through discussions," he said.

Bilateral ties with India were said to be at its lowest ebb during ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia-led four-party government.

However, soon after its installation the interim government said relations with India was a priority in its foreign relations agenda.

"It is my view that the cooperation between Bangladesh and India are now on a trajectory from which there should be no reversal," foreign adviser of the past non-party government Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said.

New foreign Minister Dipu Moni yesterday said discussions with New Delhi would continue to resolve the outstanding issues while her ministry would prioritise the issue of maritime boundery dispute with India and Myanmar for now.