Stop building Tipaimukh dam, Zia writes to Manmohan Singh

August 3rd, 2009 DHAKA - The battle lines have been drawn in Bangladesh against India's proposed Tipaimukh dam with opposition leader Khaleda Zia accusing the Sheikh Hasina government of hatching "a foreign conspiracy" and blessing a "long march" against the dam. Zia alleged at a rally Sunday that India was building the dam "step by step", contravening a promise its Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made to his counterpart Sheikh Hasina at a meeting on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit that New Delhi would do nothing to hurt Dhaka's interests.

July 28th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh will insist on a joint study to determine any adverse impact on its ecology that a dam India proposes to build near its border, a senior politician said Tuesday. A day before a Bangladesh team's departure for New Delhi, former Water Resource Minister Abdur Razzak was quoted by bdnews24.com as saying that pending such a study, he would seek a assurance that India will not go ahead with the project, nor divert water from the river that is common to both neighbours.

July 18th, 2009 DHAKA - Urging India to cancel plans to build a dam in an area near the Bangladesh border, opposition leader Khaleda Zia Saturday exhorted the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina "not to bow" to India on the issue. Zia offered the government "full cooperation" in resisting India's plans to construct a dam on the Barak river at Tipaimukh in Manipur, saying it would have disastrous impact on the environment in both countries, bdnews24.com news agency reported.

July 15th, 2009 Sharm-el-SHEIKH - The use of Bangladesh territory by Indian insurgent groups, the contentious Tipaimukh dam, railway projects as well as other issues were on the anvil when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina here Wednesday. The two prime ministers met for the first time since their respective electoral victories and congratulations were also in order.

July 13th, 2009 DHAKA - The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India are expected to meet this week on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit to discuss New Delhi's plan to construct the Tipaimukh dam in Manipur, a move that has triggered protests in Dhaka. Dhaka and New Delhi have indicated their willingness to talk on the issue as pressures have mounted on the Sheikh Hasina government, with opposition parties joining environmentalists to allege that the dam on the Barak river would deny Bangladesh its share of water and have deleterious effect on the environment.

July 10th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh's main opposition party will write to foreign governments and international organisations to protest the proposed Tipaimukh dam in northeastern India on grounds that it will hurt the environment. Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia had last month written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to desist from constructing the dam on Barak river in Manipur state.

July 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Prime MInister Manmohan Singh briefly met with US President Barack Obama during the outreach meeting of G8 and G5 leaders at their summit here Thursday. Both leaders shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, Indian officials said here.

July 3rd, 2009 DHAKA - The Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh has not committed any diplomatic impropriety while speaking 'frankly' during a discussion on the Tipaimukh dam project, a minister has said. The Indian high commissioner had allegedly called Bangladeshi water resources specialists protesting India's Tipaimukh dam project "so called experts" June 3.

June 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will continue to partner with China on the global stage and strengthen its relations with the Asian power, but at the same time not compromise on its territorial integrity, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday. In a speech in parliament, Manmohan Singh said that China was a strategic partner with which India has a multi-lateral partnership, including a large trading relationship.

May 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil Wednesday invited Manmohan Singh to be the next prime minister of India and asked him to advise her on the council of ministers. Claiming the support of 322 MPs, Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi had staked claim to form the next government at a meeting with the president.

May 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Saturday rang up Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulating him as India's ruling coalition was on its way to victory in the Lok Sabha elections. According to sources in the Prime Minister's Office, Manmohan Singh is expected to call on Sonia Gandhi later in the evening when all results of the election are known.

March 27th, 2009 AHMEDABAD - Bharatiya Janata Pary's (BJP) prime ministerial aspirant L.K. Advani Friday reiterated his call to Manmohan Singh to contest the Lok Sabha polls instead of becoming prime minister as a Rajya Sabha member.

January 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has wished Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who underwent a successful heart surgery, 'a quick recovery'. Obama, in his message to mark India's Republic Day, said: 'I wish Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh a quick recovery.' The prime minister underwent five bypass surgeries Saturday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

January 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reiterated his government's commitment to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues with India to usher in an era of peace and prosperity on the subcontinent. In a message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Republic Day, Gilani said: 'It is a matter of pleasure for me to convey, on my own behalf and on behalf of the government of Pakistan, our warm felicitation to you and to the government and people of India on the occasion of the Republic Day of India.' This is the second time Gilani has communicated with Manmohan Singh in a week.

January 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reiterated his government's commitment to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues with India to usher in an era of peace and prosperity on the subcontinent. In a message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Republic Day, Gilani said: 'It is a matter of pleasure for me to convey, on my own behalf and on behalf of the government of Pakistan, our warm felicitation to you and to the government and people of India on the occasion of the Republic Day of India.' This is the second time Gilani has communicated with Manmohan Singh in a week.