The bilateral meeting between Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday agreed to work towards bringing the number of ‘deaths due to incidents’ along the border to zero. ‘Noting with satisfaction that the number of deaths due to incidents along the border has significantly reduced, both sides agreed to work towards bringing the number down to zero,’ said a joint statement issued on Wednesday during the state visit of Sheikh Hasina to India. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh official delegation in the meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House, a state guest house of India. The incidents of border killing by Indian Border Security Force have continued over the years despite repeated assurances from the Indian side to bring down the number of such incidents to zero. ‘Recognising that peaceful management of India-Bangladesh border is a shared priority, the two Leaders directed the officials to expedite work to complete all pending developmental works within 150 yards of the Zero Line, including fencing starting with the Tripura sector with the objective of maintaining a tranquil and crime-free border,’ the statement mentioned. It said that both sides noted with appreciation the stepped up efforts by the two border guarding forces against smuggling of arms, narcotics and fake currency and to prevent trafficking, particularly of women and children. Both the leaders reiterated their strong commitment to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and decided to further strengthen their cooperation to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation in the region and beyond. Noting with satisfaction the convening of the 38th Ministerial Meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission of India and Bangladesh on August 25 in New Delhi, the two Leaders welcomed the signing of an MoU between the Ministry of Jal Shakti, India and the ministry of water resources, on withdrawal of water by India and Bangladesh from common border River Kushiyara, that will as mentioned in the statement help Bangladesh to address its irrigation needs and facilitate water projects for South Assam. The Indian side requested for early signing of the interim water sharing agreement on River Feni, taking into account the urgent irrigation requirements of the State of Tripura, it said, adding that the Bangladesh side took note of the Indian request. The Indian side thanked Bangladesh for enabling India to construct the intake well to implement the 2019 MoU between the two countries on withdrawal of 1.82 cusec of water from River Feni for drinking water supply for Sabroom town in Tripura. The two prime ministers welcomed the formation of a Joint Technical Committee to conduct a study for optimum utilisation of water received by Bangladesh under the provisions of Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, 1996. The bilateral talks, however, ended without any concrete outcome on outstanding issues like the Teesta water-sharing deal, which have been kept pending by the Indian side for over a decade, and connectivity with Bhutan and Nepal. Sheikh Hasina, now on a four-day state visit to India at the invitation of her Indian counterpart, is scheduled to return to Dhaka on September 8.