Building Agartala-Akhaura railway line and a submarine cable linking Khulna and Chennai are among the priority projects to be placed with the Indian government during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming India visit.
The PM, who is going to visit India next month, directed the ministries concerned yesterday to finalise strategy papers on the bilateral and regional development projects in time for her tour.
She gave the directive while chairing the second meeting of the regional and sub-regional cooperation committee at the Prime Minister's Office, Deputy Press Secretary to the PM Nazrul Islam told newsmen.
He said the premier asked for finalising, "on priority basis," the paper documents of the projects on Agartala-Akhaura rail link, establishment of open alternative submarine cable link between Khulna and Chennai, construction of rail-cum-road bridge over Karnaphuli river at Kalurghat, support for post-harvest technology and agro-processing, and value addition to fruits and vegetables.
The meeting discussed in detail the probable agenda from Bangladesh side to be discussed during the India tour.
The agenda include regional and bilateral cooperation on maritime boundary issues, trade and economy, road and rail link, power sector, media and telecommunications, environment and climate change, agriculture, education and use of common rivers.
"Prepare outlines on the agenda," Hasina said in her instructions.
The meeting also discussed the much-expected tariff-free access of Bangladeshi products to the Indian market as a measure to strike a balance in the bilateral trade.
In this regard, the PM asked the ministries to "specifically finalise" the list of products for placing with the Indian authorities seeking the facility of tariff-free market access.
On maritime boundary issues, the premier said, "All the issues can be settled through bilateral discussion with India and Myanmar."
She held the view that connectivity among the South Asian countries in all sectors, including trade and economy, needs to be enhanced further for expediting socioeconomic development of the people in this region.
In this context, Hasina said, "India has a great role to play in expediting the regional development activities."
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, Advisers to the PM HT Imam, Dr Mashiur Rahman and Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, high officials of the PMO and the secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.
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