Badrul Ahsan :
The new Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, on Sunday said New Delhi attaches its highest priority to its relations with Dhaka.
India wants to carry forward the bilateral ties to a ‘new height’, he said.
The Indian envoy made the remark when she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a courtesy call at her office here in the morning.
Referring to a recent meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam in New Delhi, Shringla said, “India will give all-out support to Sheikh Hasina’s government.”
After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that supports of neighbouring countries are necessary to achieve her government’s goal of establishing a poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina, during the meeting, put emphasis on the expansion of regional cooperation among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan for development of power and energy sector.
The Prime Minister said that her government has made the seaports free for use by neighbours. Syedpur Airport could also be used as a regional airport for further development.
Pointing out the Bangladesh-Bhutan, India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement, the Prime Minister said she took this initiative for boosting connectivity among the four nations.
In this context, Sheikh Hasia said Bangladesh wants to revive the rail routes that were closed after the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
At the outset of the meeting, the Prime Minister welcomed the new Indian envoy and assured him of extending all-out support during his stay in Bangladesh.
Underlining the need for setting up more check posts, along India-Bangladesh border, the envoy said, the movement of people of both countries would get easier for it.
There is a scope for more investment in Bangladesh, Shringla said, adding, Indian companies are interested to make further investment in this country.
PM’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi and PM’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad were present during the meeting.
