The visit was short but very fruitful: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that her recent visit to India was very successful, though it was brief.

‘The visit was short but very fruitful. I think this visit will play a very pivotal role in strengthening the existing excellent relations between India and Bangladesh,’ she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban to apprise the media of the outcome of her June 21-22 state visit to India.

She said that the visit opened new avenues of cooperation for the socioeconomic development of the people of two neighbouring countries.

Hasina undertook the trip at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

This was the first bilateral visit by any head of government to India after the BJP-led alliance formed its government for the third consecutive term.

Besides, this was Hasina’s second trip to the Indian capital in less than 15 days, as she was among the dignitaries invited to Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on 9 June.

During the visit, Dhaka and New Delhi signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding including seven new and three renewed to further consolidate the ever-growing relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

In the written at the press conference, PM Hasina said Bangladesh-India relations have grown to a unique height in the last 15 years.

‘The people of both countries are enjoying the benefits,’ she said.

Especially in 2023, she said, a new dimension has been added to the relationship between the two countries.

‘During the visit, the main topic of discussion with the Indian leadership was to formulate a vision on how the two newly-elected governments can take the cooperative relationship further,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that as Dhaka and Delhi have started a new path through the formation of new governments, ‘we discussed to define the future course of action to ensure the establishment of Smart Bangladesh and Viksit Bharat 2047.’

During the bilateral meeting, Hasina said, the Indian prime minister mentioned Bangladesh-India relations are constantly developing and progressing rapidly.

Emphasising on good relations with neighbours and regional cooperation amid ongoing global instability and uncertainty, Modi said that they are interested in working more deeply with Bangladesh.

Hasina said Modi assured that Bangladesh was at the centre of their ‘Neighbourhood First’, ‘Act East’, ‘Sea and Indo-Pacific’ policies.

‘We discussed ways and means of mutual cooperation and engagement between the two countries. We have agreed to cooperate wholeheartedly for the welfare of our two countries and people.’

During the meeting, she said that they discussed politics and security, peaceful and secure border management and border casualty reduction, trade and connectivity, sustainable management of common rivers and water sharing, energy and energy and regional and multilateral cooperation, among other issues of mutual interest.

‘I have invited the prime minister of India Narendra Modi to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible at his convenience,’ she said.