West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to accompany Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his official visit to Bangladesh on September 6 and 7.
An indication to this effect was available when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman and International Affairs Adviser Gowhar Rizvi met Mamata at the Writers' Building in Kolkata yesterday to invite her to visit Bangladesh.
"On instruction from our prime minister, we invited her to visit Bangladesh to discuss developments in economic, technical and other sectors," Mashiur told newsmen after meeting the chief minister.
The two advisers met Mamata a day after the official announcement of the Indian premier's visit to Dhaka.
Hasina had talked to Mamata over the phone soon after her party's landmark victory in the West Bengal assembly elections in May and invited her to visit Bangladesh.
Hasina and Manmohan will discuss areas of cooperation in economic affairs, technology transfer and other sectors, noted Mashiur adding, the two countries identified the areas of cooperation during Hasina's visit to India in January 2010 and a joint declaration was issued thereafter.
The adviser stressed on ensuring benefits for both the countries in these areas of cooperation.
Discussions would be held between the leaders of the two neighbours to further widen the areas of cooperation in railways, waterways, power and commerce and industries, he maintained.
Mashiur said he was not sure if the two countries were incurring loss in running Maitree Express, Dhaka-Kolkata train service, due to lack of passengers.
"There are reports that rigid rules are followed in customs checking, which should be simplified," he observed.
Asked if discussions would be held on adversely-possessed enclaves, he hoped the issue would be resolved in line with the 1974 Indira-Mujib agreement.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim and Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata Md Mustafizur Rahman accompanied the advisers.
Source : The Daily Star
