India, Bangladesh hold preparatory dialogue for PM visit to Dhaka; to enhance partnership including defence, connectivity

NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh on Friday held dialogue to prepare for the forthcoming visit of PM Narendra Modi to Dhaka in March and decided to enhance cooperation in a slew of sectors including Covid-19, trade, connectivity, development partnership, power, energy & water resources, regional and multilateral cooperation as well as border management and security & defence.

This was part of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC). Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla from the Indian side and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen from the Bangladesh side co- chaired the meeting.

Both sides held a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in the bilateral relationship, including in the areas of Covid-19 cooperation, trade, connectivity, development partnership, power, energy & water resources, regional and multilateral cooperation as well as border management and security & defence cooperation, officials said.

The discussion also focussed on preparations for the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dhaka in March 2021 and events relating to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties were also discussed.

Underscoring the importance of the year 2021 in the context of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh, the 50th year of bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, both sides decided to further strengthen the ongoing coordination to jointly commemorate these anniversaries, according to a MEA statement.

In this context, both sides expressed their appreciation for the participation of the Bangladesh tri-service marching contingent at the 2021 Republic Day Parade. Both sides noted the significance of this event in reminding present generations in both countries about the struggle and sacrifices of Indian and Bangladesh forces and peoples during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

The FOC expressed satisfaction at the intensity of bilateral exchanges, continuing steadily despite COVID-19.

It was also agreed to maintain the steady momentum of bilateral cooperation and people to people ties. In this regard, both sides noted with satisfaction the renewal of the Air Travel Bubble arrangement that will facilitate essential travel between the two sides.

Both sides noted the importance of swift implementation of the Lines of Credit in the bilateral development partnership. Expressing satisfaction that the high-level development partnership monitoring mechanism was operationalised with its first meeting held on January 03, 2021, both sides stressed the need to increase the utilization of funds and streamlining and expediting approval processes.