DHAKA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, terming her three-day visit to Bangladesh as historic, left the country Saturday night.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran and other high ups of the foreign ministry were present at the farewell at Shahjalal International Airport.

Before leaving, she told the journalists that she would remember the visit for a long time.

She also considered herself lucky for watching how the people of Bangladesh observed the Ekushey February.

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee assured Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of a “positive role” in resolving the outstanding Teesta river water sharing deal issue to protect interests of both sides.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Sheikh Hasina’s media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said Banerjee herself raised the Teesta issue and also informed Hasina that she expected the Indian parliament to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) in its next session set to start on February 23.

“Mamata Banerjee assured her (Hasina) of playing a positive role on the issue of water sharing (Teesta river) and protecting the interests of Bangladesh and India,” he said.

He further said Mamata Banerjee told the premier that she already had done her part in the procedure of LBA ratification for amending the Indian Constitution in line with the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement signed between Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“I hope the coming Lok Sabha session which starts on 23rd of the current month will ratify the treaty,” he quoted Banerjee as saying.

The reassurance came a day after the West Bengal chief minister told a function of litterateurs and cultural figures to “have trust on me on the Teesta issue. I will have talks on the matter with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina” and that she okayed the LBA ahead of placing its bill in Parliament.

An official familiar with the talks said ahead of the lunch, Banerjee urged the premier to lift a ban on Hilsha fish export to India in view of its massive demands particularly in West Bengal when, in a lighter vein, a laughing Hasina told her “if (Teesta) water comes, Hilsha will also go”.

“Mamata Banerjee sees the premier as her elder sister and Sheikh Hasina too treats her as her younger sister,” Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury added.

Bangladesh welcomed Banerjee expecting her visit to expedite settlement of crucial pending issues of Teesta and LBA since West Bengal has a stake in settling the issues.

Bangladesh and India were set to ink the Teesta Agreement during the then prime minister of India Manmohan Singh's 2011 visit but Banerjee opted out of his entourage at the last minute opposing the treaty, which delayed the deal.

India has said it is keen to reach an “internal consensus” on the Teesta deal while the bill is now pending in Parliament for ratifying the LBA with New Delhi assuring Dhaka of signing the deal soon after ensuring consensus of all stakeholders.

The Teesta, which originates in Sikkim, flows through the northern part of West Bengal before entering Bangladesh and joining the Brahmaputra river.

Its flow is crucial for Bangladesh in the dry period from December to March when the water flow often falls to less than 1,000 cusecs.

Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal of India, arrived here in Bangladesh Thursday night on a three-day official visit at the invitation of foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali on the occasion of ‘Bhasha Divas’ falls on February 21.

BDST: 2218 HRS, FEB 20, 2015

** Hilsa after Teesta water, says PM 
** LBA in Feb, all positive on Teesta