Indo-Bangla Land Boundary Deal
New Delhi talking to parties for consensus on ratification
New Delhi is engaged in negotiations with political parties to reach a consensus for parliamentary ratification of the crucial Land Boundary Agreement signed with Bangladesh, visiting Indian law Minister Ashwani Kumar said yesterday.
"The external affairs minister [Salman Khurshid] is in extensive discussion with the political parties to reach an agreement for the ratification," he told the news agency on the sidelines of a ceremony to honour the foreign friends of the Liberation War.
"We are very hopeful that the issue will be resolved very soon," he said as asked if the current session of Indian parliament could ratify the treaty, a long outstanding issue of bilateral ties.
The Indian minister was in Dhaka to receive an honour on behalf of his father late Shree Prabodh Chandra for his support to Bangladesh in the 1971 war.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh signed the LBA in Dhaka in September 2011 formalising a 1974 treaty for exchange of enclaves and land in adverse possession.
Indian Cabinet Committee on National Security this July cleared the treaty, while it is now awaiting ratification in the lower house, Lok Sabha.
Indian government leaders earlier hinted that the ratification could be done by the end of this year.
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