India interested to finance Bangladesh's Teesta project: FM Hasan Mahmud

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said India has expressed interest in financing Bangladesh's Teesta project.

"You know we have taken on a big project on Teesta. India wants to finance this project. It will have to be implemented in line with our needs. We want to see our needs fulfilled," he told reporters after a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (9 May).

Regarding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi, Hasan said the PM will definitely visit India.

"Elections are underway in India. A new government will be formed after the election and then the date will be finalised for the visit," he said.

Asked whether PM Hasina would go to India or China first, the foreign minister smiled and said Delhi is close to Bangladesh in terms of geographical distance.

Diplomatic sources indicate that PM Hasina's visit to India is planned for early July if not possible at the end of June, after the conclusion of the neighbouring country's election.

Pre-election surveys suggest a strong showing for the coalition led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is widely anticipated to secure re-election.

In January, Modi extended warm congratulations to PM Hasina on her electoral victory, expressing hopes for the continued strengthening of the historically close ties between India and Bangladesh.

The last bilateral engagement between the two prime ministers occurred during the G-20 Leaders Summit in September 2023, where Bangladesh was a guest country.

Modi is expected to extend invitations to South Asian and BIMSTEC country leaders for his swearing-in ceremony, fostering regional cooperation.

Regarding border killings, the foreign minister said there is no deficit of willingness at the government and political level to end border killings.

"We have discussed the issue in detail. We have laid emphasis on the use of non-lethal weapons," Hasan said.

He said border forces have been instructed and they are using non-lethal weapons following the instructions.

However, the foreign minister said it is similar to lethal weapons when used from close proximity.

"They have no lack of sincerity. We have to work more on this issue," he said.

Hasan said they also discussed both physical and people-to-people connectivity. They discussed cooperation with India to import hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan through India.

They also discussed ways to further ease the visa regime so that people can move freely, strengthening people-to-people relations.

India has the highest visa issuing centre in Bangladesh and they are very sincere in ensuring that people get visas quickly, Hasan said.

He said Bangladesh-India relations are multifaceted and the relations reached a new height under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. "We have excellent relations with India."

Earlier, the Indian foreign secretary had a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at his office Thursday morning.