Bangladesh-India relations growing at fast pace: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Bangladesh-India relations are ever-growing at a fast pace.

The Bangladesh premier came up with the remarks in a joint statement before the media after a tete-e-tete and bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi followed by signing of several instruments at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday.

Dhaka and New Delhi agreed about a shared vision for digital and green partnership to ensure a sustainable future for both the nations, she said.

“Both countries endorsed the 'Vision Statement' to guide us toward a peaceful and prosperous future. We agreed to have a shared vision for 'Digital Partnership' and 'Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future,” she said.
 
The entire gamut of binary relationship that includes sharing of water from common rivers, security and trade has prominently come for discussion during the bilateral meeting of two neighbouring countries, she said.

Describing India as Bangladesh's major neighbour, trusted friend, and regional partner, Sheikh Hasina said: “Bangladesh greatly values our relations with India, which were born during our War of Liberation in 1971.”

“Today, our two sides had very productive meetings where we discussed politics and security, trade and connectivity, the sharing of water from common rivers, power and energy, and regional and multilateral cooperation, among other issues of mutual interest,” she added.

The premier said, “We agreed to collaborate with each other for the betterment of our people and countries”.

As Dhaka and Delhi have started new journeys, she said, “We charted the future course of action to ensure a smart Bangladesh by following Vision 2041 and Viksit Bharat by 2047.”

Sheikh Hasina said they concluded MoUs, renewed several of them, and made announcements for future collaboration.

In recent years, she said both sides have sustained high-level engagements, including at the highest level.

The Indian president and its prime minister visited Bangladesh in 2021 to attend the celebration of the Birth Centenary of Bangladesh's Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 50-year celebration of Bangladesh's independence, and the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic ties, she said.

The Bangladesh premier said she paid her last bilateral visit to India in September 2022 and later attended the G20 Summit held under the Presidency of India in September 2023 in New Delhi as the leader of 'Guest Country'-Bangladesh, the only country from South Asia.