Bill to be tabled in next session of Lok Sabha

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has hinted that the constitutional amendment bill on the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh might be placed in the winter session of the Lok Sabha.While meeting with a media delegation from Bangladesh in the Indian capital yesterday, he said he was very optimistic of the collective voice of the Indian political parties being reflected on the adoption of the agreement.Salman also hinted that the gap with BJP on issue has been bridged and that he sounded confident of taking the Trinamool on board as well.Explaining the change in the atmospherics, he pointed out that the confidence building measures were about to pay dividends.During the meeting the Indian minister discussed the current state of Bangladesh-India relations and said these are growing quietly and steadily.Responding to a question on border casualties, he said greater sensitisation of the border personnel, joint control, community level interactions with schools, bazaars, hospitals were getting under way.He dreamt of a free border adding that the fear of influx is misplaced, because people are beholden to their hearths and homes.On Teesta water sharing, he said although the treaty has not been signed waters are being shared anyway. He added that nothing at the upstream would be done to harm Bangladesh’s interest.India and Bangladesh need to work together to address silting, flooding and erosion problems, Salman said suggesting that Bangladesh should have equity in the projects.Earlier, an interactive session moderated by Syed Akbaruddin, joint secretary, external publicity, was attended by four former Indian high commissioners to Bangladesh — Deb Mukherjee, Pinak Chakravarty, Rajit Mitter and Animesh Tripadhi.Media representatives from some major newspapers also participated. All of them laid emphasis on closer ties with Bangladesh by meeting the latter’s expectations.