New Delhi: Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is on a State visit to India between September 5-8, 2022, today called on the President, Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. She also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While welcoming Sheikh Hasina, Murmu noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh have grown immensely. She said that the way the two countries together have celebrated the 50th year of Bangladesh’s independence and the golden jubilee of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations is truly special. “The visits of both the President and the Prime Minister of India to participate in these historic celebrations show the great importance India attaches to its relationship with Bangladesh,” she said.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the expansion of connectivity between India and Bangladesh and said that with the development of trade infrastructure on the border, the two economies will be able to connect more with each other.
“Our bilateral trade is growing rapidly. Today, India is the largest market in Asia for Bangladesh’s exports. To further accelerate this growth, we will soon start discussions on the Bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement,” he said.
List of Outcomes: Visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India
A. List of Agreements/ MoUs Exchanged
Modi further announced that today the two leaders also decided to increase cooperation in sectors like IT, space and nuclear energy, “which are of interest to our younger generations”. Both the countries will also continue to cooperate on climate change and on preserving a common heritage like the Sundarbans, he said.
Modi referred to the unveiling of the first unit of Maitree Thermal Power Plant today which he said will increase the availability of affordable electricity in Bangladesh. “Fruitful talks are also underway between the two countries on connecting power transmission lines. The inauguration of the railway bridge over the Rupsha River is a remarkable step towards enhancing connectivity. This bridge is an important part of the new railway line being built between Khulna and Mongla Port under India’s Line of Credit. India will continue to extend all support for the development and expansion of Bangladesh’s railway system,” he said.
Besides, India and Bangladesh signed today, an agreement on sharing water of the Kushiyara river which, Modi said, will benefit Southern Assam in India and the Sylhet region in Bangladesh. There are 54 rivers that pass through the Indo-Bangladesh border and have been linked to the livelihood of the people of the two countries for centuries.
Modi and Sheikh Hasina also had a fruitful conversation on enhancing cooperation in relation to flood mitigation. India has been sharing flood-related data with Bangladesh on a real-time basis and we have also extended the period of data sharing.
Besides, the two leaders also stressed on cooperation against terrorism and radicalism. “To keep the spirit of 1971 alive, it is also very important that we fight together such forces, which want to attack our mutual trust,” Modi said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last visited New Delhi in October 2019.
– global bihari bureau
