We are heartened to see that the two leaders, Khaleda and Indian PM Manmohan Singh, appear sincere in their desire to improve relations and lower tensions, as there is nothing for either country to gain from bad relations and much to gain from better ties.

The most encouraging sign so far is that there appears to have been a willingness on the part of both the leaders to go the extra mile in order to bring relations to a more amenable level.

This is crucial. On both sides of the border there are hard-liners who do not wish to see relations improve. Similarly, speaking frankly, both Bangladesh and India have legitimate issues with one another that the other country has often dismissed out of hand, and it is this refusal to engage with the other side's concerns that has done the most to strengthen the hand of the hard-liners and made rapprochement so difficult.

The talks between Khaleda and Manmohan are noteworthy for having crossed this hump. We have seen that most major issues have been placed on the table and confronted. The specifics may not have been thrashed out, but the mere fact that the sensitive issues have been raised face to face and been given a hearing is in itself a confidence building measure.

India has taken Bangladesh's concerns with the bilateral trade deficit seriously and inked a deal that is largely a renewal, albeit on a more non-adhoc basis, of an accord signed more than two decades ago. She also sees the need for lowering non-tariff barriers. The anti-smuggling deal augurs well, too. What's obviously cheery news is the consent to have Sealdah-Joydevpur railway link.

The talks have fostered a congenial atmosphere whereby issues can be addressed and dealt with in a cooperative manner in depth and detail. On this count alone the dialogue must be judged to have been extremely encouraging.