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Manmohan Singh, Sheikh Hasina put Teesta behind, fix boundary

DHAKA: Mamata Banerjees public sulk on the Teesta water-sharing pact almost killed the Manmohan Singh-Sheikh Hasina summit billed as a paradigm shift in India-Bangladesh ties. A land boundary agreement and significant trade concessions by India saved the day, but it was a close shave for both leaders. Visibly angry over Indias decision to put off the Teesta agreement which Dhaka hoped would showcase Sheikh Hasinas achievements, the Bangladeshi side threw a last-minute spanner in the works for the land boundary agreement which was a key takeaway for India. It took an hour-long one-on-one meeting between Sheikh Hasina and Singh to turn a summit collapse into something both sides could live with. Even Indias decision to give Bangladesh duty free access to 46 textile items in the sensitive list failed to lift the sense of gloom here. A landmark agreement on border demarcation and exchange of enclaves will ensure the momentum in India-Bangladesh relations is not lost and both sides will hope that a convergence of interests driving the two leaderships is not lost sight of in the midst of Banerjees domestic jockeying. Just as Singh tried several last minute phone calls on Monday night, Sheikh Hasina too called Banerjee to get her to change her mind. But Banerjee is believed to have explained to Hasina that her reasons had less to do with Bangladesh and much more to do with local politics.

                                                                                                               
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