April 10: The Prime Minister of a Bengali-speaking country of over 16 crore people who take great pride in their mother tongue sprang a surprise in the capital today with her knowledge of Hindi.

Sheikh Hasina was speaking on her failure to seal a deal with India on the sharing of the Teesta's waters because of opposition from Mamata Banerjee, the foremost Bengali-speaking leader on this side of the border.

" Pani manga toh electricity mila. Lekin electricity mila achchha hai, kuchh toh mila naa (We asked for water and got electricity instead. Still, it's good to get something)," Hasina said, addressing an event at the India Foundation.

Bangladesh has been waiting for the implementation of the Teesta water-sharing treaty since it was signed six years ago.

Although both Delhi and Dhaka are keen on sealing the pact, it remains in the freezer because of resistance from the Bengal chief minister.

During her four-day visit to the capital, Hasina met Mamata on several occasions and spoke about Bangladeshi farmers' need for the Teesta's waters.

Although Mamata enjoys a personal rapport with Hasina, she didn't budge. Instead, she suggested some smaller rivers in north Bengal, such as the Torsa, as alternative water sources for Bangladesh.

Hasina has remained silent on the new proposal but Bangladeshi information minister Hasanul Haque Inu said in Dhaka that the proposal was not "acceptable".

"He (Inu) would not have said this without Hasina's clearance. But she (Hasina) didn't say anything in India and instead chose to downplay the failure to seal the Teesta pact. Her use of Hindi lightened the atmosphere," a Bangladeshi diplomat said.

Hasina's Hindi may have surprised many, but she had lived in New Delhi's Pandara Road for some time after the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and almost her entire family on August 15, 1975.

Her India connect has often been criticised in Bangladesh and the attacks may intensify on her return without a deal on the Teesta.

Hasina, however, put up a brave face today and said the ties between the South Asian neighbours would undergo "another transformation" with the water pact.

"We strongly believe that our common water resources must act as a uniting force. A comprehensive, basin-wide solution with an in-built solution to sharing the waters of all the common rivers holds the key to our common future," she said.

"Once it happens, this phase of India-Bangladesh relations will undergo another transformation."

As for the electricity gains that Hasina is taking solace from, Indian and Bangladeshi entities today signed several agreements on cooperation in the power sector.

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation will also be selling its surplus power to Bangladesh.