Modi eyes stronger Dhaka-Delhi relation

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with Bangladeshi president Mohammad Abdul Hamid prior to a meeting in New Delhi on 31 May 2019. Photo: AFP
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with Bangladeshi president Mohammad Abdul Hamid prior to a meeting in New Delhi on 31 May 2019. Photo: AFP

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday emphasised the importance of taking the Bangladesh-India ties to a new level as 'it remains the highest priority to India'.

He said that this should be done as part of joint efforts to suitably commemorate the centenary of the birth of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Liberation in 2021, reports UNB.

Modi noted that the bilateral relationship between the two countries, forged in Bangladesh's liberation war, remained of the highest priority to India.

In the past five years, he said, the two countries had demonstrated great maturity and patience in resolving a number of complex pending issues, such as the demarcation of the land boundary.

The Indian prime minister met Bangladesh president Abdul Hamid at noon at Hyderabad House in New Delhi and discussed the issues of mutual interests.

During the meeting, they expressed great satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations, according to Indian external affairs ministry.

The president conveyed felicitations of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in Saudi Arabia, who was unable to travel in person because of a prior commitment.

He conveyed the invitation of the government of Bangladesh to the Indian prime minister to visit Bangladesh, which was accepted with pleasure.

The leaders agreed that dates would be decided through diplomatic channels.

The president of Bangladesh was in India to attend the swearing-in event of the new government of India on Thursday.

Hamid earlier paid a state visit to India in December 2014, as well as an official visit in March 2018, for the first meeting of the International Solar Alliance.