Dhaka: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at about 12:00noon to pay homage to the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

‘Saluting an icon of democracy, a towering personality & a great friend of India, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’, Modi tweeted.

Earlier, Modi visited the National Martyrs Memorial at Savar at about 11:30am. He placed wreaths at the altar of the memorial.

Modi arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 10:15am on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to hold talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ink several agreements.

He was received at the Dhaka airport by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He received a guard of honour at the airport. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina introduced Modi to the Bangladesh government officials present at the airport.

Modi tweeted in English and Bangla, thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the warm welcome.

‘Thank you PM Sheikh Hasina for the warm welcome. I look forward to a very good visit that will strengthen ties between India & Bangladesh’.

‘Hello Bangladesh. I bring with me the affection & goodwill of the people of India,’ he added.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s Foreign Policy Advisor Gowher Rizvi said, ‘India and Bangladesh have developed into a relationship of win-win situation. I consider PM Modi's visit as a landmark visit’, said ANI.

‘Impressive thing about PM Modi is that he has an outstanding reputation as a ‘doer’ in the international scene. PM Modi is able to separate national politics from national interest,’ Gowher Rizvi added.

Rizvi expressed hope that the agreement on Teesta water sharing deal will be signed ‘sooner than later’. He also stated that Bangladesh has taken sternest possible action to end cross border movement and all forms of terrorism.’

‘Leaving for Bangladesh. This visit is going to strengthen the bond between our Nations, benefitting people of our countries and our region,’ Modi tweeted on early Saturday.

‘Ready for a historic visit to Bangladesh. IAF Rajdoot awaits PM @narendramodi,’ Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs tweeted.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s Foreign Policy Advisor Gowher Rizvi said, ‘India and Bangladesh have developed into a relationship of win-win situation. I consider PM Modi's visit as a landmark visit’, said ANI.

‘Impressive thing about PM Modi is that he has an outstanding reputation as a ‘doer’ in the international scene. PM Modi is able to separate national politics from national interest,’ Gowher Rizvi added.

Rizvi expressed hope that the agreement on Teesta water sharing deal will be signed ‘sooner than later’. He also stated that Bangladesh has taken sternest possible action to end cross border movement and all forms of terrorism.’

On the first day of his visit, Modi will pay tribute to martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar, and visit the Bangabandhu National Museum in Dhanmondi to pay tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

To promote greater people-to-people ties and connectivity, Modi, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will flag off bus services on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and the Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati routes respectively.

Thereafter, all three will witness the exchange of instrument of ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Dhaka.

This will be followed by a restricted meeting between both leaders and a handing over documents.

Thereafter, there will be delegation-level talks, a signing of bilateral agreements and a programme to unveil plaques for various grant-in-aid projects.

On Saturday evening, the Prime Minister will attend a state banquet-cum-cultural programme organised in his honour by his Bangladeshi counterpart.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit the Dakheshwari Temple and the Ramkrishna Mission.

Thereafter, he is expected to visit the new Indian chancery complex before moving on to Bangabhawan to call on President Abdul Hamid. Here, he will receive the Award of Liberation War Honour on behalf of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He will attend a luncheon hosted by President Hamid before moving on to meet the Leader of Opposition.

He is also expected to interact with the youth and student community before departing for India late on Sunday evening.

The Prime Minister had earlier in a post on his Facebook page said that he was looking forward to his visit ‘with a great sense of enthusiasm and delight’.

‘I am certain my visit will be beneficial for the people of both our nations and in the larger good of the South Asian neighbourhood,’ Modi had stated.

Modi’s visit will have special focus on connectivity and security issues apart from signing of a number of instruments and deals, aiming to take the ties between the two neighbouring countries to a newer height.

Bangladesh will mainly focus on connectivity issues while India will highlight security aspects.

On the other hand, President Pranab Mukherjee has voiced serious concern over terrorism and extremism emanating from India’s neighbourhood, saying it remains a major security threat for India as well as other countries in the region.

‘Terrorism and extremism emanating from our shared neighbourhood remains a major security threat for India,’ he said in his address at the prestigious Belarus State University recently.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Friday said the Teesta issue was being discussed behind the seen urging all to have patience ‘a bit’ for getting a concrete outcome.

The Foreign Minister said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit indicates that discussions on Teesta are on and all will know when success will arrive regarding the issue.

Mahmood Ali, however, made it clear that the Teesta issue will not be discussed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

Deals, MoUs

Bangladesh is likely to sign a number of agreements and MoUs with India during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Dhaka visit.

The deals and MoUs are bilateral trade agreement, inland water protocol, coastal shipping deal, bilateral cooperation deal between BSTI and BIS, MoU on Human Trafficking, MoU on Fake Currency Notes, MoU between Coast Guards of Bangladesh and India and exchange of document on Land Boundary Agreement, said the foreign minister.

Bangladesh hopes that the deals will help boost regional connectivity and flourish trade and commerce.

There might be an announcement on fresh line of credit worth US$ 2 billion, but the Foreign Minister said it is under process and an announcement will be there once it is decided.