Increasing connectivity with India to yield mutual benefits: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that initiatives have been taken to resume various cross-border routes between Bangladesh and India, which were closed in 1965, stressing the need for enhancing connectivity between the two countries for mutual benefits.

“We have to increase connectivity. If the connectivity between the countries is increased, India's North Eastern provinces - Assam and Tripura - can have access to Chattogram port,” she said.

The premier said this when Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar paid a courtesy call on her, at her official Ganabhaban residence on Thursday afternoon.

Later, PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters on the meeting.

During the meeting, they expressed delight at the current state of the existing bilateral relations between the countries.

In this connection, the prime minister said the high-level visits between the countries will give impetus to carry forward the relations.

The Indian minister said the bilateral issues between the countries are being reviewed and progressing well.

Defense sector cooperation, water sharing of Kushiara and Feni rivers, current Covid -19 situation and impacts of Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy came up prominently in the discussion.

The prime minister said the Covid-19 situation is well in Bangladesh while Jaishankar said the normalcy is coming back in India.

Senior secretary of foreign affairs Masud Bin Momen, PMO senior secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami were present at the time.

Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon.