DHAKA, June 22: Regional and bilateral issues are likely to dominate the June 24 meeting between Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, a senior official has said.The one-day meeting, with an open-ended agenda, will also cover international issues besides discussing the trade between the two countries, which is now heavily tilted in Islamabad's favour, the official of the foreign ministry was quoted by the official BSS news agency.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Mustafizur Rahman was today quoted by the daily Star as saying that ``We would like to discuss the situation that has arisen out of the nuclear tests. We will give our views and hear theirs.''
The Foreign Secretary said Hasina's Pakistani visit would be more or less similar to her India visit on June 16.
Referring to Hasina's visit, Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka, Karam Elahi, said, ``We welcome the visit of the Bangladesh Premier. We want to discuss why it all (the nuclear tests) happened andwhat is the background. You cannot cure a disease without finding its cause.'' However, he added that the Kashmir issue was central to all mediation between India and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will inaugurate a multi-purpose bridge over Jamuna river -- stated to be the longest in South Asia -- tomorrow, which officials say holds out promise for easier and greater trade with India.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open the 4.8 km multi-million dollar bridge, named after Bangladesh's independence architect Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, connecting the country's industrially-impoverished north with the more prosperous south.
The bridge, funded by the World Bank, the Japan Government, the Asian Development Bank and the Bangladesh Government, will have a four-lane road, a railway track and also pipelines for carrying gas and electricity.
India supplied the largest quantum of boulders needed for river-training before construction of the bridge work for which had started in October 1994.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.