DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her India counterpart Narendra Modi put emphasis on exploration of the large markets of the two neighboring countries by expanding trade between them.

They reached the consensus in a bilateral meeting at Modi’s office in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Bangladesh PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim informed the media after the meeting.

He said in the meeting the Bangladesh PM proposed for a joint exploration of the large markets of the two nations.

"If we could jointly explore our large market, rapid development will take place both in Bangladesh and India," she said, opining that it would also reduce dependence on others.

In reply, Modi welcomed the proposal of Sheikh Hasina, remarking it ‘a good proposal’.

In the meeting, the two premiers also agreed to conduct a joint exercise with south Asian nations on combating natural disasters.

While talking about the implementation of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), both premiers expressed satisfaction over the execution of the agreement smoothly.

They also expressed satisfaction over the progress of the implementation of the Bangladesh-India-Bhutan-Nepal (BIBN) Motor Vehicle Agreement.

Earlier, a fight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the premier and her entourage, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for New Delhi at 6:00am to attend the funeral of Suvra Mukherjee, wife of India President Pranab Mukherjee.

PM’s sister Sheikh Rehana, daughter Saima Wazed and foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali are accompanying her.

Later, the premier returned Dhaka in the evening.

BDST: 1746 HRS, AUG 19, 2015
RR/SMS

** Hasina meets Modi after Suvra’s funeral