She flies to Colombo today to attend CHOGM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inquire about the ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement and Teesta water sharing deal when Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will meet her in Colombo on the sidelines of the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Hasina will leave for the Sri Lankan capital on Thursday on a 34-hour visit to attend the opening ceremony and two executive sessions of the Summit.
“The Prime Minister will want to know from the Indian External Affairs Minister about the fate of the LBA and Teesta deal during the meeting on Thursday,” a source concerned told The Independent on Wednesday, adding that other bilateral issues including border killing might also come up for discussions.
Asked if the political situation in Bangladesh would be discussed, the source said that as the meeting was taking place between the Prime Minister and a Minister, it was unlikely that the political issue would come up from the Prime Minister herself.
However, she might respond if the Indian Minister raises the issue, he said.
Khurshid is leading the Indian side to the Summit as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to skip the Summit along with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper over alleged war crimes by Sri Lankan troops.
According to the programme schedule, the Prime Minister and her 47-member delegation will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Colombo by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at 2pm on Thursday.
On Friday, apart from attending the opening ceremony of the CHOGM and two executive sessions, she will attend a reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary General. On the sidelines, Hasina will meet Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.
The special flight carrying the Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Colombo at 8pm on Friday and return home at 11.59pm.
-With The Independent input
