Bangladesh-India ties crucial for meeting common challenges: PM Hasina
ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the cooperation between India and Bangladesh as an example for the world, saying the ‘two countries are neighbours, geographically; and family, emotionally’.
The remarks came while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina today jointly unveil e-plaques for ground-breaking of ceremony of two major projects through video conferencing.
The projects include: (a) India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (b) Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur Railway Project
Prime Minister Modi said that the cooperation between the two countries as an example for the world. He said that the two countries are neighbours, geographically; and family, emotionally.
“The proposed pipeline will further energize, not just Bangladesh’s economy, but also the relationship between the two countries”, PM Modi stressed. He expressed confidence that the proposed railway project will contribute to the process of strengthening national and urban transport in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister described the cooperation between the two countries as an example for the world.
“In the last few years our cooperation has shown that when two neighbouring countries decide, a lot can be achieved—be it decades old boundary dispute or economic projects—we have achieved a lot and I give credit for this to you,” said Modi.
“In 10 days, we have inaugurated five projects. The momentum is because of your leadership. In coming days we will work for bright future of the people of India and Bangladesh,” said the Prime Minister.
On her part Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh-India relations a crucial factor for common development challenges.
“We’ve to work collectively for the development and prosperity for the people of both countries in the new areas, including energy, power, road and rail communications,” she told the conference from her Ganobhaban official residence while PM Modi joined the event from his office in Delhi.
She said that development of South Asia is a major challenge. Cooperation between two countries will further boost economic development of South Asia. “In the recent past cooperation in different sectors have given new boost to our relationship,” she said.
The Bangladesh premier said Bangladesh-India bilateral cooperation has reached to a new height in the past few years while prospects for economic development would substantially be enhanced through such bilateral projects as “economic development is the biggest challenge for South Asian countries”.
Sheikh Hasina said the 130-kilometre India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline from Shiliguri of West Bengal to Parbatipur of Dinajpur in Bangladesh is a new milestone in the history of cooperation between the two countries.
“This will be first such pipeline through which refined diesel will be supplied to Parbatipur Depot of Dinajpur of Bangladesh from Numaligarh of Assam in India,” she said.
Initially, she said, Bangladesh will receive 2.5 lakh tonnes of diesel per annum and it will gradually be increased to 4 lakh metric tons.
Earlier, Minister for External Affairs said that the way the progress of the project is being pursued by the two governments is testimony tour joint commitment, broadening, deepening and intensifying the India-Bangladesh relationship. We are committed to expanding our cooperation to every sector of our activity so that this partnership send before the world as an outstanding example of our true friendship based on equality, mutual trust and respect.
If destinies of our country connected then so too should be our development effort. Improving connectivity between us is central part of securing a better future of peace progress and prosperity.
External Affairs Minister of India, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, also joined the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the project will go a long way in strengthening Indo-Bangla ties.
The six-kilometre Indian leg of the pipeline project will be implemented by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) and the remaining 124 kilometres of the pipeline project will be implemented by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. The project will replace the existing practice of sending diesel by rail covering a distance of 510 Km. The capacity of the pipeline will be 1 million metric tons per annum.