Monday, March 13 2006 11:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India and Bangladesh are likely to sign three agreements on trade, investment protection and avoidance of double taxation during Bangladeshi Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's three-day state visit to this country from March 20.

The accord on investment protection is seen as crucial to enhancing possibilities of Indian investment in Bangladesh and captains of Indian business and industry have been pressing for such an agreement.

Indian entrepreneurs are stated to be keen in certain areas of Bangladesh's economy, particularly textile and steel, and their interest in investing in that country could be spurred by the investment protection treaty, sources said.

The two countries are also to sign an agreement on avoidance of double taxation and sign a revised bilateral trade accord first signed in 1980 and then renewed from time to time.

While these three agreements would be the high point of Begum Zia's visit, the two sides are also expected to grapple with a range of bilateral issues, including India's security concerns over presence of insurgents in Bangladesh, illegal migration, free trade accord, when she holds talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Hyderabad House on March 21.

Extradition treaty with Bangladesh

India is likely to raise the issue of an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, sources said.

Sharing of waters of common rivers would also figure high on the agenda of talks between the two countries.

On the trade front, India would insist on allowing cross-border movement of trucks carrying goods and allowing Chittagong port for Indian goods shipment and FTA while Bangladesh is expected to urge India to remove tariff and non tariff barriers to imports from that country.

Border demarcation and management and exchange of each other's enclaves in adverse possession would also be a key subject, pending a resolution since long, that would come up for deliberations.

Begum Zia, accompanied by four senior cabinet ministers and big contingent of businessmen, arrives here on March 20 for the visit that is likely to provide an opportunity to mend bilateral ties soured in recent years.