Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to meet PM Modi on Friday, Rohingyas on agenda

The two leaders will meet in the university-town of Santiniketan in West Bengal on Friday.

This would be their second meeting in less than two months. The two leaders met in London in April, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit.

The Bangladesh prime minister will attend the convocation at Visva-Bharati University and, along with Prime Minister Modi, inaugurate the Bangladesh Bhavan in Santiniketan.

The Bhawan will enclose a collection of books published in Bangladesh and will also include a museum to showcase the country's fight for freedom from West Pakistan.

This would be PM Modi's first visit to the university after assuming its " acharya" or chancellor. The University recognises the Prime Ministerof the nation as its chancellor while the President as its "paridarshaka" (visitor), who appoints the vice-chancellor.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may also show her presence at the event.

The meeting between PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina and Mamata Banerjee is expected to discuss issues such as Teesta water sharing dispute. The river which flows through West Bengal and Bangladesh is a bone of contention between the two regions.In India, water is a state subject, which means that the federal government shall refer to the provincial government. Therefore, the Mamata-Hasina talks become that much more crucial for the resolution of the Teesta waters issue.

If Mamata Banerjee relents, it would come as a shot in the arm for Sheikh Hasina as elections are due in Bangladesh in a few months' time.

Bangladesh may also pressIndia to get Myanmar to take back the Rohingya refugees.

Also, Dhaka would welcome all financial help it can get, particularly from India, to ensure that the Rohingyas get food, shelter and medical facilities.