Bangladesh Our Biggest Trading Partner: PM Modi After Talks With Sheikh Hasina
The two leaders issued a joint statement after their talks at the Hyderabad House.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina held talks in New Delhi on Tuesday, 6 September. An exchange of agreement and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) also took place in their presence after their talks at the Hyderabad House in the national capital.
Later, the two leaders issued a joint statement, where Modi said, "Today, Bangladesh is India's biggest development partner and our biggest trade partner in the region. There is a continuous improvement in the people to people cooperation."
Earlier on Tuesday morning, PM Hasina received a tri-services guard of honour.
Modi had received Hasina at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, ahead of her receiving a tri-services guard of honour.
PM Hasina, after her reception, said, "India is our friend. Whenever I come to India, it's a pleasure for me, especially because we always recall the contribution India has made during our liberation war. We have a friendly relationship, we are cooperating with each other."
She also offered floral tributes at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
(Photo: PTI)
(Photo: PTI)
(Photo: PTI)
(Photo: PTI)
The leaders held wide-ranging talks, following which the two sides unveiled a raft of measures to boost cooperation in the areas of defence, trade, and river-water sharing.
The Bangladesh PM was received at the airport by Union minister Darshana Jardosh.
"Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is warmly welcomed by MoS Railways and Textiles @DarshanaJardosh on her arrival in New Delhi for a State Visit. The visit will further strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two countries," External Affairs Ministry (EAM) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had tweeted on Monday.
What Did PM Hasina Say in the Joint Address?
"I appreciate Modi ji's visionary leadership that continues to provide added momentum to our bilateral relations. India is the most important and closest neighbour of Bangladesh. India-Bangladesh bilateral relations are known to be role model for neighbourhood diplomacy," she was quoted as saying by ANI.
She further said, "The two countries have resolved many outstanding issues and we hope that all outstanding issues, including Teesta water-sharing treaty, would be concluded at an early date."
Hasina added, "Today PM Modi and I have just concluded another round of fruitful discussion, the outcome of which will bring benefits to the people of both countries. We had the meeting in a spirit of close friendship and cooperation."
'Main Focus To Provide Better Lives Across South Asia': PM Hasina
PM Hasina said, "Our main focus is to develop our people's federation, poverty alleviation, and economy. With all these issues, I feel our two countries work together so that people not only in India and Bangladesh but across South Asia can get better lives. That's our main focus."
"I hope that it will be a very fruitful discussion and our main aim is to develop economically and also fulfill the basic needs of our people – that we will be able to do. With friendship, you can solve any problem. So, we always do that," she added.
On Thursday, Hasina is scheduled to travel to Rajasthan's Ajmer to visit the Dargah of the revered Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti.
Hasina's delegation comprises Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan, Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, and Mashiur AKM Rahman, the economic affairs advisor to the PM.
The Bangladesh prime minister will also call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
She had last visited New Delhi in October 2019.
Agreement on Interim Sharing of Kushiyara River
India and Bangladesh finalised the text of the agreement on interim sharing of the water of Kushiyara river just last month. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is set to be inked on Tuesday, the text of which was finalised at the 38th ministerial-level meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) that took place in Delhi on 25 August.
In March last year, PM Modi had visited Bangladesh to attend events organised to mark the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh’s war of liberation.
Bangladesh is now India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and the bilateral trade has grown from USD 9 billion to USD 18 billion in the last five years.
Bangladesh PM Meets President Murmu, Vice President Dhankhar
PM Hasina also visited Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Droupadi Murmu. During their meeting, the president said that "bilateral relations have always been guided by the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust and the pandemic and the current international situation demand that India and Bangladesh remain more economically connected to deal with the global crisis."
Prime Minister Hasina also called on Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and both sides reiterated the shared commitment to take the relationship forward for the benefit of the people of both countries.
“Both sides reiterated the shared commitment to take the relationship forward for the benefit of people of both countries,” Dhankhar tweeted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also met Bangladesh's PM on Tuesday, and had "a fruitful discussion on a score of topics," the party said.
Monday's Visit
On Monday, when asked about what India can do for the Rohingya refugees, Hasina said, “India is a big country. It can do a lot,” Hindustan Times quoted her as saying.
This comes after the recent controversy in Delhi over the settlement of Rohingya refugees. India's stand on Rohingya refugees, who had fled an onslaught from the Rakhine state in neighbouring Myanmar, has been far from being welcoming.
Meanwhile, on being asked about her expected visit to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which could not happen, she said, “She is like a sister, I can meet her whenever I want…We have always had good relations."
PM Hasina also met Indian billionaire Gautam Adani on Monday, who praised her for her “inspirational and stunningly bold” vision for her country.
(With inputs from PTI and Hindustan Times.)
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