Hasina likely to visit Delhi next month

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA, APRIL 27. The Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is likely to pay a brief visit to New Delhi in the middle of May. Border problems are expected to top the agenda at a summit meeting planned with her Indian counterpart, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Sheikh Hasina, who is scheduled to attend a United Nation's conference in Brussels in the second week of May, is to visit Delhi on her way back home, or alternatively, on way to Brussels, to open the new chancery building of the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi. Sources here said that Sheikh Hasina was expected to hold a meeting with Mr. Vajpayee tentatively on April 17.

Officials of the two capitals are preparing for the summit against the backdrop of the recent border clashes that left 19 border guards dead in the Bangladesh-Assam sector. Newspapers here have reported that the BSF has reinforced its forces in Belunia, Muhurir Char, Lathitila, along Tripura and Joypurhad, Godagari and Lalmonirhat along West Bengal. Panic- stricken villagers of these border regions feared to return to their homes.

Dhaka's concern was conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Moniral Tripathy, who held a meeting with the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, Syed Moazzem Ali, on Thursday. Sources said the proposed summit would particularly deal with the border tension triggered by the recent clashes in a land of ``adverse possession''.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdus Samad Azad, in an interview, hoped that the two Prime Ministers would work out the modalities for durable peace along the border through a peaceful resolution of the border disputes.

Referring to the Indian allegation that the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) had fought with the Border Security Force without the knowledge of the Government, Mr. Azad said the BDR retained the right to act on its own judgment in the event of emergency. ``The BDR is not isolated from the Government... We are proud of the performances of our border guards in protecting the territorial integrity,'' the daily Independent quoted the Foreign Minister as saying.

He also stressed the need for the full implementation of the 1974 Mujib-Indira treaty to bring about a permanent solution to all border problems. Bangladesh had ratified the treaty immediately after its signing, but India was yet to ratify the accord, he said.

``The sooner all problems are solved, the better it will be for both the countries,'' Mr. Azad said. ``Geographical proximity dictates us to live together for survival.''

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