Indian envoy Pranay Verma meets Bangladesh PM Tarique Rehman in Dhaka
Dhaka, March 22
India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma met Prime Minister Tarique Rehman here and extended wishes to him on Eid.
"High Commissioner Pranay Verma exchanged warm Eid greetings with Prime Minister His Excellency Tarique Rahman in Dhaka," the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh posted on X.
Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, was celebrated across Bangladesh on Saturday with enthusiasm and religious fervour.
On Friday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, in New Delhi, with discussions focusing on advancing bilateral ties.
In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar said: "Met with High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah of Bangladesh. Our conversation was focused on advancing our bilateral ties."
Earlier this month, India's High Commissioner held a series of meetings with ministers of the newly-formed Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government, discussing ways to enhance bilateral cooperation.
According to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Verma called on Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, to explore various areas of common interest, including strengthening cooperation in local governance structures and rural development.
Both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral engagement in areas such as the rural economy, agricultural cooperatives, and financial empowerment at the grassroots etc.
"High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh relations are founded on people-to-people ties and that India remains ready to engage with Bangladesh in a positive, constructive, and forward-looking manner to promote people-centric cooperation in all domains based on mutual interest and mutual benefit, "the High Commission posted.
Verma also met Minister of Liberation War Affairs, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, reaffirming the strong historical bonds between the two countries rooted in the shared sacrifices during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
"They underlined the importance of working together on the basis of mutual respect and mutual trust to further strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries," the High Commission said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see the Eid greetings being exchanged. These small diplomatic gestures are important for fostering goodwill. Hope the discussions on rural development and cooperatives lead to tangible benefits for people on both sides of the border.
While engagement is good, we must be cautious. The new BNP government's stance on issues like border security and water sharing needs to be clear. Diplomacy is fine, but our national interests should be non-negotiable.
Focusing on people-centric cooperation in local governance and rural economy sounds promising. Real development happens at the grassroots. If implemented well, this could be a model for South Asian cooperation.
The mention of the 1971 Liberation War is key. We stood with them then, and that shared history must guide a partnership of equals. Hope the new government remembers this and works with mutual respect, as stated.
Positive news! Strong Bangladesh ties mean better connectivity for our North-East states. Hope these talks also address trade facilitation and ease the movement of people and goods. A stable, prosperous neighbourhood benefits everyone.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.