Mamata Banerjee arrives at the Dhaka airport on Friday.
Dhaka:
Refusing to let the Teesta pact muddy the waters, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended a royal welcome to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as she arrived in Dhaka to accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi's on his first visit to the neighbouring country.
From the moment Ms Banerjee's Air India Flight230 entered Bangladesh on Friday evening, it was declared a VIP plane. The pilot stepped out of the cockpit to announce he had just received instructions to that effect. What it meant was that no other plane would land or take off from Dhaka airport till Ms Banerjee's flight had landed.
Soon after her arrival, Sheikh Hasina telephoned Ms Banerjee to welcome her and insisted that she stay on in Dhaka on Saturday for the banquet in the evening.
Ms Banerjee was scheduled to participate in two functions - the flagging off of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and the signing of the Land Boundary Agreement - and leave immediately for Kolkata on Saturday evening.
Whether Ms Banerjee has decided to accept the invitation is not known yet.
Given that Ms Banerjee has so far not given the green signal to the Teesta water-sharing pact, there were some worries about the kind of reception she would get. But those worries have been allayed.
Mamata Banerjee had visited Dhaka in February this year, and told Bangladesh that the Teesta water-sharing imbroglio would be resolved. "Have faith on us," she had said.
Bangladesh has decided to do so.
From the moment Ms Banerjee's Air India Flight230 entered Bangladesh on Friday evening, it was declared a VIP plane. The pilot stepped out of the cockpit to announce he had just received instructions to that effect. What it meant was that no other plane would land or take off from Dhaka airport till Ms Banerjee's flight had landed.
Soon after her arrival, Sheikh Hasina telephoned Ms Banerjee to welcome her and insisted that she stay on in Dhaka on Saturday for the banquet in the evening.
Ms Banerjee was scheduled to participate in two functions - the flagging off of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and the signing of the Land Boundary Agreement - and leave immediately for Kolkata on Saturday evening.
Whether Ms Banerjee has decided to accept the invitation is not known yet.
Given that Ms Banerjee has so far not given the green signal to the Teesta water-sharing pact, there were some worries about the kind of reception she would get. But those worries have been allayed.
Mamata Banerjee had visited Dhaka in February this year, and told Bangladesh that the Teesta water-sharing imbroglio would be resolved. "Have faith on us," she had said.
Bangladesh has decided to do so.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
