Bangladesh has emerged as a role model for strong socio-economic growth and its progress is not just in the interest of its people but equally in the interest of the region and beyond, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday. Effective management of the India-Bangladesh border is key to facilitating economic linkages and people-to-people contact, Shringla said speaking at an interaction with a Bangladeshi delegation, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, at the 10th India-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue organised by the India Foundation. “We need to work closely to strengthen border infrastructure to ensure smooth transit of goods and people while ensuring that illegal activities are kept under check,” he said. Noting that last year was truly a milestone in the history of bilateral ties, Shringla pointed out that President Ram Nath Kovind as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh in 2021 to celebrate the ‘Triveni’ of the historic anniversaries of Bangladesh’s independence, Victory Day and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “Today, as Bangladesh commemorates fifty years of its independence, I am happy to note that its growth has proven its detractors wrong. Bangladesh has emerged as a role model for strong socio-economic growth,” Shringla said. The growth of Bangladesh is not just in the interest of the people of Bangladesh, but equally, in the interest of the region and beyond, he asserted. It is this spirit of interdependence and fraternal ties that drive India’s development cooperation with Bangladesh, which is the largest it has with any country, Shringla said. Noting that two-way trade in the recent past has witnessed a quantum jump with exports from Bangladesh, for the first time, expected to cross USD two billion this year, the foreign secretary said early conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement is vital to enhancing this momentum in trade. “Another area that needs our concerted focus is connectivity. We have made some progress here but there is a need to make more effective and sustained efforts,” he said. Shringla highlighted that India and Bangladesh have made remarkable progress in enhancing connectivity through the use of their inland waterways. In a significant development, on February 5, 2022, a cargo vessel carrying food grains sailed from Patna in Bihar and will travel via the waterways of India and Bangladesh to reach Pandu in Assam in early March. “Many of you may be aware that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Gati Shakti’ initiative is upgrading connectivity in India with a multi-modal perspective. Movement of products from locations of production to places of value addition and consumption needs multiple modes of transportation,” he said. “Our bilateral arrangements should reflect this paradigm to maintain the competitive advantage that our geographical proximity offers us. We can learn a lot from the regions and countries around the world that have used this model to reduce logistical costs and enhance competitiveness,” he said. Shringla said India and Bangladesh have cooperated closely during the COVID-19 pandemic and assisted each other through the supply of essential medicines during the different waves of the pandemic. He asserted that India remains committed to building the momentum of regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC Framework. It can be an important vehicle for enhancing economic cooperation, development and connectivity in the region, he said, adding that “we are looking forward to the next BIMSTEC Summit”. Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi held talks with Alam and discussed ways to strengthen ties. “Glad to receive Bangladesh Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam @MdShahriarAlam at my office today. Stressed the centrality of people-to-people exchanges, including cultural exchanges in our bilateral relations,” Lekhi tweeted. Source : The Print
