The Indian Water Resources Minister has made his skepticism about the BJP's much-touted river-linking project suggesting that controversies over the plan within India and its international ramifications will receive due consideration.

Similarly, Indian Home Minister's comments with respect to illegal immigration that it requires a human approach, come as a welcome change from the accusatory position held on the subject by the previous administration.

The final piece of the puzzle from the Bangladeshi point of view would be to gain greater access to India's markets through the relaxation of tariff and non-tariff barriers. It is noteworthy in this regard that greater market access was pledged by the Congress government 12 years ago, and there is good reason to be hopeful that the current Congress government will also look on the matter favourably.

The Bangladeshi government must also be congratulated for its initiative in taking up this opportunity to improve bilateral relations. The PM was quick to extend her best wishes to the incoming government, and Foreign Minister Morshed Khan's upcoming trip to New Delhi is a salutary demonstration of the government's keenness to move Indo-Bangla relations on to a more co-operative footing.

Ultimately what we hope for is a fresh approach to the relationship from both sides. It is time that the confrontational approach of the recent past was abandoned. Both Bangladesh and India can only benefit from more cordial relations, and there is little to be gained from dealing with one another from a position of distrust and hostility. Greater co-operation is a win-win outcome for both countries. As such, we applaud what appear to be the movements made by both governments in this direction.