2006年VOA标准英语-Bangladesh Prime Minister in India to Impr

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
21 March 2006

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, right, and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhlook on after Zia's arrival for the ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, March 21, 2006  
  
Bangladesh's prime minister is on a three-day visit to India in a bid to improve ties between the two countries. Trade and security concerns have strained the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries in recent years.

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Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's visit to the Indian capital follows several sharp exchanges between the neighboring countries in recent years.

India is concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh. It also accuses Dhaka of providing haven¹ to rebel groups waging insurgencies in India - a charge Dhaka denies. And it has been asking Bangladesh to stem the flow of illegal migrants into India.

Dhaka on its part is worried about a massive trade deficit² with India.  

Both sides are using Ms. Zia's visit to address those concerns, and give a boost to the relationship.

The prime minister wants to assure India that Bangladesh is committed to cracking down on Islamic extremism.

Dhaka had long denied that Islamic militants⁴ were putting in roots in Bangladesh. But Ms. Zia's government acknowledged the threat posed by the extremists following a series of bomb explosions and suicide attacks in Bangladesh last year, and has arrested several militant³ leaders.

An expert on South Asian affairs in New Delhi, S.D. Muni, says Dhaka does appear to be paying more heed⁵ to calls by India and other countries to clamp down on Islamic terrorists.

"In the last few years with the rise of terrorism of which Bangladesh itself is becoming a victim, something is dawning on Dhaka that it is time to take some of these issues seriously and seek as much of international and bilateral⁶ cooperation to address them," Muni said.

India on its part is assuring Dhaka that it will try to improve market access for goods from Bangladesh, which has a trade deficit with India of $2 billion. The countries also are signing several economic agreements to improve trade between them. 

Analysts⁷ such as Muni hope the visit will help restore the warmth that characterized relations for years after India helped create Bangladesh in 1971 by backing a freedom struggle in what was then East Pakistan. 

"I think if this visit can result into some confidence building, some elimination⁸ of mistrust and suspicion it would be good, and that is in the mutual⁹ interest of both countries," Muni said.

Ms. Zia's visit, which ends Wednesday, is her first to New Delhi since she assumed power in 2001.

1 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

6 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

9 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。