FROM HOTEL NEW YORK PALACE: The long awaited first meeting between Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held at the other end of the globe, on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday.

The meeting was held at Kennedy Room of New York Palace Hotel where Modi received Hasina cordially saying “Bangabandhu made Bangladesh and his daughter Hasina saved it”.

When Hasina raised the Teesta and Land Boundary issues, Modi said I am looking for ways to resolve the issue.

He is very serious about the Teesta water sharing deal and implementation of Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, the Indian premier added.

“The two leaders put emphasis on working against terrorism and fundamentalism together,” Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali said.

In response to Indian media, after the meeting, Sheikh Hasina said, “Bangladesh won’t give chances anybody to use its land for terrorist activities against India.”

The two leaders talked about bilateral issues for 15 minutes.

Shahidul Haque, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Information Affairs Adviser to the premier and also incumbent Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, briefed journalists about the meeting.

They said the meeting was held in a warm and cordial environment.

The two leaders talked in joyous manner, foreign secretary said.

PM’s Information Affairs Adviser said environment of the meeting was not like the maiden meeting between Hasina-Modi.

Both leaders put emphasis on regional cooperation and development.

Later, both leaders invited each other to visit both countries.

BDST: 0932 HRS, SEP 28, 2014