Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina blames Mamata Banerjee for Teesta treaty failure

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday blamed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for India and Bangladesh failing to sign the Teesta water sharing treaty.

Bangladesh and India were all set to ink a deal on the sharing of Teesta waters during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Dhaka visit in September 2011, bdnews24.com reported.

But the signing had to be cancelled following last-minute objections raised by the West Bengal chief minister, Hasina said.

The Indian prime minister had made positive remarks on the deal, she said.

Hasina categorically put the blame on Banerjee for the first time Sunday.

"We (Bangladesh and India) had reached an understanding after talks on the Teesta River," Hasina said at a meeting with officials of Bangladesh's water resources ministry.

"But this is unfortunate that Banerjee raised objections. This is quite unfortunate. The (India's) central government was sincere," she said.

"We hope to solve the matter through talks," she added.

Banerjee was also supposed to accompany Singh during the Indian prime minister's 2011 Dhaka visit but she cancelled her visit at the last minute and the deal could not be signed, Hasina said.