President Pranab Mukherjee today made out a strong case for Bangladesh granting transit and connectivity to India, contending that this can pave the way for greater integration in South and South East Asia.

As India presses Bangladesh for the transit to connect its mainland to the northeastern Indian states to address their developmental and security concerns, Mukherjee stressed on transit in the larger context of this country’s geographical location.

He said that Bangladesh can act as a bridge between South and South East Asia.

“Apart from the potential of its resources on land and sea, the geographical location of Bangladesh is an advantage that must be fully explored and exploited,” Mukherjee said in his speech after receiving an honorary law degree from Dhaka University at a special convocation here this afternoon.

He said, “Bangladesh lies at the crossroads of South and South-East Asia. ...Bangladesh has once again taken the leadership in moving towards sub-regional cooperation”.

“This will lead to practical results in terms of better water management, more electricity and grid connectivity, more trade and more cross-country movement of goods and people,” Mukherjee said.

“India and Bangladesh can lead the way towards greater integration within our region and beyond in South East Asia”, he said.

The President expressed the hope that an early agreement between India and Bangladesh on the sharing of Teesta waters would be worked out as “sharing of the waters of common rivers is a “high priority for us“.

He also said the Indian government proposes to introduce a constitutional amendment Bill in Parliament to give effect to the provisions of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh.

“The sharing of the waters of our common rivers is a high priority for us. We have successfully forged agreements in the past and are hopeful of arriving at an early accord on the sharing of the Teesta waters”, Mukherjee said while accepting the honorary degree.

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