Modi will hopefully maintain good ties with neighbours: Hasina

Hasina made the remarks when a journalist asked whether there would be any obstacle to Bangladesh-India ties after Modi became the new Prime Minister, the state-run BSS news agency reported.

Responding to the question, she cited the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with India in her first tenure in 1997, overcoming the long-standing dispute, as well as signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord ending a two-decade insurgency.

“Our foreign policy is very clear—friendship to all and malice to none. Since we've formed the government, we've found good relationship with our neighbours,” Hasina said.  She said India has also a foreign policy and hoped that it would be followed.

Hasina said in her three terms, she had worked with four different political parties that formed government in India and the latest Modi government is the fifth one.

 Hasina was invited along with other SAARC leaders for Modi's swearing-in ceremony but she was unable to attend due to her Japan visit and Bangladesh was represented by Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.