NEW DELHI, July 24 � Lack of forward movement in the land swap deal between the two countries has led Bangladesh on Tuesday to impress upon India to urgently ratify the deal.
At the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between India and Bangladesh held at the Foreign Secretary level, Bangladesh underlined the need for India to show some urgency in getting the deal finalised without further delay.
The day-long discussion was led by Foreign Secretary, Ranjan Mathai, and his Bangladesh counterpart, Mohamed Mijarul Quayes. The other participants included officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Water Resources, Inland Water, besides Commerce and Industry among others.
Sources said that Bangladesh was unhappy over the delay in implementation of a number of decisions taken during the meeting of the Prime Ministers of the two countries including the sharing of water of Teesta river.
Sources said that while impressing upon India to ratify the land swap transfer deal, the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh said that it cannot be seen that the agreement is not implemented. This would create mistrust between the two neighbours, said sources.
The deal has to be ratified by both the Houses of the Parliament. While BJP has been opposing the deal since beginning, the Trinamool Congress, an ally of the Congress Party too has opposed the deal.
New Delhi, meanwhile informed the Bangladeshi delegation that the process of internal consultation has began on the issue. �We are in the process of working out internal consensus,� said the official spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Meanwhile, Government of India is in the process of constituting an expert team to study Tipaimukh Dam Project, which has been opposed by Bangladesh.
A joint team of Indian and Bangladeshi experts would also make an on the spot visit to the project site, said sources.
