‘Main rasta nikhal raha hun’

Narendra Modi's 45-minute meeting late Saturday night with Sheikh Hasina in New York was a 'roaring success', says a top BJP leader close to the Indian prime minister.

The leader is travelling with Modi on his tour of the US, where the Indian prime minister has made a huge impact.

When Hasina pressed Modi to implement the Teesta and the land boundary agreements soonest possible, Modi told her in Hindi: "Main rasta Nikhal raha hun, thoda bharosha rakhiye" (I am trying to find a way to implement them, please give me some time and have faith in me).

Hasina shot back in chaste Hindi: "Bharosha to hai, par thoda jaldi ho to accha hoga" (We have faith in you but the sooner this happens the better).

To which Modi said: "These two deals are a sovereign commitment of the government of India to the government and people of Bangladesh. This will have to happen, but we need some time to create a consensus in our federal polity."

Of the 45 minutes they talked, five minutes was without aides.

Modi who is more comfortable in Hindi than English asked Hasina: "Agar main Hindi me bhat karun to kya aapko taklif hogi?" (Will you have difficulty if I speak in Hindi?).

Hasina said, "No, not at all" and added: "I understand Hindi and can speak a bit.”

But after the 5-minute private exchange in Hindi, Modi told his aides: "Hasina ji bahut accha Hindi bolti hain, main to ascharya ho gya" (She speaks very good Hindi, I am stunned).

The Indian prime minister reciprocated by bidding her good bye in chaste Bangla -- " abar dekha hobe" (we will meet again soon) .

Modi assured Hasina he will visit Bangladesh very soon but added: "Khali haate ashbo na" (I will not come empty handed).

Aides of both Prime Ministers said the two leaders appeared in great spirits after the meeting.

"The body language of both did not suggest they are meeting each other for the first time," Hasina's media advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury told Ananda Bazar Patrika journalists.

Modi reiterated India's commitment to stand by Bangladesh and PM Hasina's government, the BJP leader said. "Hasina's government has done so much for us, especially in addressing our security concerns. We will not let her and the people of Bangladesh down," the BJP leader quoted his prime minister as saying.

Hasina also handed over a detailed file about Saradha activities to Modi which contains details of fund transfers by the ponzi company at a behest of Trinamool Congress lawmaker Ahmed Hassan Imran and also about his links with the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Modi told Hasina: "We will never allow Indian soil to be used against Bangladesh and its people …"

He promised to investigate the Saradha funding of Jamaat-e-Islami and punish all those involved, the BJP leader said.