BY SUMI KHAN
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday recalled India’s contributions to her country’s Liberation War in 1971, following which the then East Pakistan became an independent nation.
She made the remarks as outgoing Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das called on her at her official residence ‘Ganabhaban’.
Ganguly also said the people of India and all political parties extended overwhelming support to Bangladesh’s Liberation War, and in the same way, supported the historic land boundary agreement with the neighbouring country.
The Indian envoy also informed Hasina that the Foreign Ministers of the two countries are likely to hold talks virtually on Tuesday.
She also handed over a letter by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting the Bangladeshi leader on the occasion of her 74th birthday.
Hasina thanked Modi as well as Ganguly for greeting her.
The Bangladeshi Prime Minister also stressed the need for better cooperation with the neighbouring countries for the development of the region.
She said the neighbouring countries can use Bangladesh’s Chattogram, Sylhet and Syedpur Airports for their convenience.
“Our foreign policy is ‘friendship to all and malice to none’. We always think that better cooperation with the neighbouring countries is firstly needed for the development of the people of the region,” Hasina said.
The Prime Minister and Indian High Commissioner also discussed bilateral issues in the meeting where Hasina’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus and Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bishwadip Dey were present too.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said that the Covid-19 situation and the protracted Rohingya crisis also came up for discussion.
The Indian envoy said the two countries are working together to combat Covid-19, and appreciated the steps Bangladesh has taken under Hasina’s leadership to contain the pandemic.
Das also lauded Bangladesh’s economic development under her.
