NEW DELHI: The national register of citizens (NRC) came up as an awkward lump in discussions between India and Bangladesh here on Saturday even as the two sides worked out larger areas of common interest with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring his counterpart Sheikh Hasina the NRC is an “internal” process.Briefing the media, Bangladesh foreign secretary Shahidul Hoq said Modi “explained the (NRC) process to make sure that everybody is eventually included. But we’re keeping our eyes wide open”.The caution came even as the two sides looked to deepen linkages with India set to import LPG from Bangladesh for the first time while Dhaka will supply clean drinking water from Feni river to Tripura.Asked about reconciling statements of home minister Amit Shah on the citizenship amendment bill with the PM’s assurance, Hoq said, “We shouldn’t make a crisis out of nothing at this stage. Let us wait and see.” But Bangladesh remains concerned about how the NRC process plays out.While NRC is a concern for Bangladesh, there was convergence on Rohingya refugees. Hasina asked Modi to intervene with the Myanmar government on repatriating Rohingya who are in Bangladesh. The two countries agreed that displaced Rohingya should return to their home in Rakhine province in Myanmar.Last month Bangladesh dragged Myanmar to the International Criminal Court on the Rohingya issue. An adverse judgement for Myanmar is almost a given, which will strain relations between Dhaka and Yangon even further even as Bangladesh feels the strain of hosting a large Rohingya population.While India has not positioned itself as a mediator, circumstances may push India to intercede with two very close neighbours in the coming days.Describing the bilateral relationship as the “best of relations”, Hoq said the two sides signed seven MOUs that are expected to become concrete pacts in areas of water resources, youth affairs, culture, education and coastal surveillance. An important milestone came with the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on the use of Chattogram (Chittagong) and Mongla Ports for movement of goods to and from India.While Teesta water sharing is not likely to happen soon, the two sides have, after nine years, activated the joint River Commission (JRC) tasked with completing a framework agreement to share waters of six other rivers. The joint statement said the two sides would “exchange updated data and information and prepare the draft framework of Interim Sharing Agreements for six rivers, namely, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar and to firm up the draft framework of interim sharing agreement of Feni River”.Modi and Hasina inaugurated three projects by video link. Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, “Today's three projects are in three different areas: LPG import, vocational training and social facility. But the purpose of all three is the same. And that is - to improve the lives of our citizens…India prioritises its partnership with Bangladesh.”Laying down seven areas that the high level conversation covered, Hoq said the fundamentals of the relationship was on “security, stability and progress. We’re making joint efforts to curb terrorism, violent extremism and keep borders safe”. Modi will visit Bangladesh to celebrate centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, Hoq added.