Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

As Parliament passed a “landmark” bill to settle the 41-year-old border issue with Bangladesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday thanked leaders of all Opposition parties for their support and said a “historic milestone” has been reached in India-Bangladesh ties.

He also spoke to chief ministers of bordering states — West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, Assam’s Tarun Gogoi, Tripura’s Manik Sarkar, Meghalaya’s Mukul Sangma and Mizoram’s Lalthanhawla — to thank them for support to the Land Boundary Bill that provides for exchange of territories with Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Thursday.

Mr. Modi also talked to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to apprise her of the “landmark” development.

In the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister walked up to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her party’s Leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge and thanked them for support after the bill was unanimously approved in the House.

All the 331 members present in Lok Sabha voted in favour of the bill in rare unanimity, a day after it was passed by Rajya Sabha.

Soon after, Mr. Modi called up leaders of Opposition parties, like AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, BSP supremo Mayawati, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, BJD leader Biju Patnaik and JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav to thank them.

“My thanks to all the political parties for their cooperation, as also to the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura & West Bengal,” Mr. Modi tweeted later.

“This reflects the collective will of the nation to build constructive relations with our neighbours,” he added.

He said he also spoke to Ms. Hasina and “conveyed my greetings to the people of Bangladesh on this landmark occasion”.

He said passage of the bill ensures a permanent settlement of land boundary with Bangladesh and resolution of long-pending boundary issues.

“Today a historic milestone has been reached in India-Bangladesh relations after the passing of the Constitutional Amendment by Parliament,” Mr. Modi added.

“This would contribute to a stable & peaceful boundary, better management & coordination of the border &will lead to enhanced security as well,” the Prime Minister said.

Bangladesh thanks India for LBA ratification

Bangladesh on Thursday thanked India for clearing the operationalisation of the Land Boundary Agreement that provided for exchange of territories even as it was exploring a possible visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to that country in first week of next month.

“Today is a very historic and landmark day (for Indo-Bangladesh ties) as the demarcation of the land boundary between the two country has completed after 41 years. Whatever little bit work is left will be completed soon. We thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for....” Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali told reporters in New Delhi.

The Bangladesh envoy also said that Thursday’s development settles an old issue and will prepare new grounds for enhancing bilateral ties especially in economic sector.

“We are also exploring a possible visit by Mr. Modi to Bangladesh in first week of next month. However, the dates were yet to be finalised,” Mr. Ali added.

Mr. Ali, who was present in the visitor’s gallery in Lok Sabha to witness the passage of the constitutional amendment bill to ratify LBA, said the approval will make the region more stable. The bill was passed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The Lower House, showing rare unanimity, passed the Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill to allow the operationalisation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary agreement.

After the passage, Mr. Modi spoke to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conveying his greetings to the people of Bangladesh on this landmark occasion.

Mr. Ali also said that it was during the regime of Ms. Hasina’s father late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1974 that the process land boundary demarcation was initiated and it was a matter of great happiness that it was completed during the rule of his daughter.

Asked about the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh, he said the pact will lead towards more economic integration and take care of any such issue.

He said “unprecedented bonhomie” was seen in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha when the bill was passed as not a single ‘no’ vote was cast against it in either House.