PM Hasina, Modi see further consolidation of Bangladesh-India relations

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi pose for a photograph in New DelhiBSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have expressed their desire that the existing bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries would be further strengthened in future.

“The two leaders have expressed their hopes that the existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India will be deepened further in the days to come,” foreign minister Hasan Mahmud told a news briefing today, Monday.

The expectations came at a one-to-one meeting (tete-e-tete) between the two prime ministers after the swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet of the Modi government at Rashtrapati Bhaban on Sunday evening.

During the meeting, held in a very warm and friendly atmosphere, the Bangladesh prime minister invited her Indian counterpart to visit Dhaka at his convenient time, Hasan said.

Many issues are involved between the two countries. As both the governments continue, there are some benefits in doing work together
Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Minister

The bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India have reached a new height under the prudent leadership of Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi, he said.

The foreign minister said the two prime ministers later attended a banquet hosted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Senior Indian ministers, the Bangladesh delegation, invited heads of the other governments and states also attended the dinner where they had brief interactions, he said.

Hasan said they also had exchanged pleasantries at that time.

Replying to a query about expectations from each other as the Modi government has run his state for the last 10 years along with Sheikh Hasina’s tenure for already 15 years in Bangladesh, the foreign minister said Bangladesh and India have multifaceted relations.

“Many issues are involved between the two countries. As both the governments continue, there are some benefits in doing work together,” he said.

The people from both the countries are being benefited in terms of different aspects that include connectivity from the friendly relations of both the nations, he added.

“Our multidimensional deep relations will spread and be consolidated further in future,” Hasan hoped.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman and PM’s press secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan were present, among others, at the briefing.

Sheikh Hasina also held separate meetings with Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Union Minister of India and its former External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at her Place of Residence in New Delhi Monday morning.

The Bangladesh prime minister arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new Indian government at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Sheikh Hasina was scheduled to leave the Indian capital for Dhaka in afternoon.