Mamata's letter to Narendra Modi is their domestic matter: Sheikh Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the letter written by India's West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to the country's prime minister Narendra Modi concerning the Teesta deal and the Ganges water-sharing treaty, is "India's domestic" matter. She said that even if the Ganges water-sharing treaty is not renewed, the agreement will continue.

Sheikh Hasina was speaking Tuesday morning at a press briefing concerning her India visit. The press briefing  began at 11:00am at Ganabhaban.

Ten MoUs were signed between Bangladesh and India on Saturday, including about the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing treaty. Prime minister Narendra Modi said that a team of experts would be visiting Bangladesh shortly regarding the management of the river Teesta.

However, at a press briefing on Monday, India's West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee raised objections to the renewal of the Ganges treaty and the Teesta deal. She said these were not bilateral issues, the state's interests were involved. She said that the MoU was signed in exclusion of the state.

At prime minister Sheikh Hasina's press briefing today, the matter of Mamata's objection was raised. In reply, prime minister Sheikh Hasina replied, "We have taken up a project for Teesta. We discussed the dredging and water preservation of the river Teesta. The term of the Ganges treaty will be expiring. Even if the Ganges water-sharing treaty is not renewed, the agreement will continue. Prime minister Narendra Modi said that a technical group will be formed before the treaty ends and we also agreed to that."

The Ganges water treaty was signed in 1996 and ends in 2026.

Sheikh Hasina said, "The letter that Mamata Banerjee wrote to her country's prime minister is their domestic issue. I have good relations with all of India's parties. Relations with Mamata Banerjee are good, and relations with Narendra Modi are good too. I have good relations with all parties in India."