Three people got killed during Hefajat's hartal across Bangladesh - - the third day of the Islamist organisation's demonstrations against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.
Brahmanbaria turned into a battlefield, with public buildings incinerated, and trains derailed. At least three people were killed there.
There was intensified violence in several other districts.
In Brahmanbaria, public offices set on fire by Hefajat activists kept burning and firefighters didn't dare going to the scene before the activists went home after 9:30pm.
Hefajat announced a day of prayers and mourning for today and called for nationwide rallies on April 2.
Prime Minister says he participated in a Satyagraha for Bangladesh war of liberation
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| Modi at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex: Tungipara |
Will Teesta watershare pact possible after fall of Mamata regime ?
Modi draws roadmap for Indo-Bangla ties with 'Nayi Urja, Nayi Gati'
However, there is yet another story of doom and negativeness from across the border in Bangladesh.
Opinion makers in Dhaka say possibilities of a breakthrough on Teesta water share is bleak. The Modi government, they say, has to contend with the Mamata factor, and Mamata Banerjee as West Bengal Chief Minister has so far not showed any signs of relenting. In her address at an election meeting in Siliguri, the Bangladeshi observers point out, Mamata said that the people of West Bengal should have enough water of the Teesta for themselves first, before sharing it with the neighbouring country. So the obvious fear is if Trinamool returns to power after May 2 counting and eight-phases of ongoing polls than Teesta is not happening.
But my question remains - should it become easier for 'Double Engine' BJP regimes (both in Delhi and Kolkata) to deliver Teesta waters to Bangladesh. Yes and No - both.
All eyes would be soon on water share issues related to six other rivers - Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar.
Bangladesh is also unhappy over the fact that there have been reports of killings of as many as 45 Bangladeshis killed by BSF between January and December 2020. That number has been the 'highest' in the last few years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a new roadmap for a shared future with its key eastern neighbour Bangladesh.
Modi's parting remarks to his hostess and Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, was that his visit had given “nayi urja, nayi gati (new energy, new pace)' to the relationship. The Teesta water sharing issue also figured prominently.
Notably, both the Prime Ministers directed their respective Ministries of Water Resources to work towards an early conclusion of the Framework of Interim Agreement on sharing of waters of six common rivers, namely, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar.
The Joint Statement said: "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated Bangladesh’s long-pending request for concluding the interim agreement on the sharing of the waters of the Teesta river. She underscored that to alleviate the sufferings and save the livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the Teesta river basin, it is necessary that Bangladesh receives its fair share of the Teesta waters, the draft agreement of which has already been agreed upon by both Governments in January 2011".
It further said - "Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India’s sincere commitment and continued efforts to conclude this agreement, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. The Indian side also requested for early finalization of the draft of the interim agreement for sharing of water of Feni River, pending with the Bangladesh side which had been agreed upon by both sides in 2011."
Bangladesh PM Hasina’s spokesperson Ihasanul Karim also said on Teesta watershare, which has long been objected to by incumbent West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Modi told his counterpart, “We are committed to a reasonable solution to sharing of water of all the rivers".
Bangladesh Prime Minister thanked the Indian side for considering Bangladesh’s proposal to name the historic road from Mujib Nagar to Nadia on the Bangladesh- India border as "Shadhinota Shorok” commemorating the historic significance of the road during Bangladesh’s Liberation War. Both sides looked forward to inaugurating the road soon as part of the joint celebrations.
Both sides acknowledged the potential of 'new and emerging areas' of cooperation in bilateral cooperation and directed authorities to explore cooperation in artificial intelligence and also peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
On PM Modi's visit to rural areas including at Bangabandhu Mausoleum and Orakandi temple in Gopalganj, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said, "We are not countries that go to capitals, have meetings in drawing rooms. We are countries that have so much of shared history and cultural legacy that we visit different parts of each other's country".
Modi lands in Dhaka, pays homage to Bangladesh martyrs
New Delhi/Dhaka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid his homage to martyrs of Bangladesh freedom struggle when he visited the National Martyrs’ Memorial (Jatiyo Sriti Shoudho), the National monument of Bangladesh.
The monument is located in Savar, about 35 km north-west of Dhaka and was designed by Syed Mainul Hossain.
In the same complex, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also had planted a sapling durig his Bangladesh visit in 1999.
In Twitter messages in Bangla and English, the Prime Minister also said that his visit will contribute to even stronger bilateral relations between two nations.
In an article for Dhaka-based newspaper 'Daily Star', Mr Modi wrote: "I ask myself, what could our subcontinent have looked like, had this modern-day giant not been assassinated?
It is a hard question to answer...., he wrote adding; "It is a safe bet that with Bangabandhu at the helm, Bangladesh and our region would have evolved along a very different trajectory. A sovereign, self-confident Bangladesh, at peace with its neighbours, bearing friendship to all and malice towards none, was rising fast from the ashes of a painful war."
The Prime Minister further wrote: "If this had continued, perhaps India and Bangladesh could have achieved many decades ago some of the accomplishments that we were able to reach only recently."
Ends
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