AMN / DHAKA
Visiting Indian President Ram Nath Kovind today expressed his willingness to increase the existing trade and business ties with Bangladesh through joint-efforts as he met his Bangladesh counterpart M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban here today.
President Ram Nath Kovind held delegation-level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Abdul Hamid at his official residence Bangabhaban this evening. A cultural programme was organised for the visiting dignitary. President Kovind was given a reception in his honour at the Bangabhaban by President Md. Abdul Hamid of Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also present at the reception banquet.
President Kovind presented a small-scale model of MIG 21 used in 1971 as a token of friendship between the two countries.
“The communications between the two countries became closer in land, air and riverine routes . . . investors of both the sides should use the facilities for increase trade and business relations,” a Bangabhaban spokesman quoted Kovind as saying after the talks, followed by a state banquet.
According to Bangladesh president’s press secretary M Joynal Abedin, Kovind assured his counterpart of continued Indian cooperation to the ongoing business investment and different development projects in coming days.
Abedin said during the meeting, the two presidents particularly emphasized on joint ventures between the two countries.
Kovind said “it is definitely a testimony of very close bilateral relations” while both the countries were celebrating the 50-year of diplomatic relations. Indian President called Hamid as a War Hero saying that Bangladesh did a tremendous success to tackle the fatal COVID-19 outbreak and “we are also proud of it”.
Kovind said bilateral cooperation over the COVID-19 pandemic would help the two countries to work together to overcome the situation.
He praised the participation of Bangladesh contingents at the Indian National Day march-past event and subsequently the Indian contingents’ members at the Bangladesh Victory Day’s programme in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh president said bilateral relations began during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War which now reached a “unique height” as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina started a new chapter in diplomatic relations.
Hamid said over the past one decade, relations between the two countries were expanded in the areas of security, border demarcation, power, energy, trade and commerce, infrastructure, communication and eventually the relations between the people of the two countries have strengthened.
The Bangladesh president received his Indian counterpart at Bangabhaban with a bouquet while his wife Rashida Hamid also presented a bouquet to the Indian first lady Savita Kovind.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen called on President Ram Nath Kovind in Dhaka in the afternoon on Wednesday.
President Kovind and Prime Minister Hasina discussed several issues of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. They also reviewed progress in the multifaceted and comprehensive bilateral ties. The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a tweet that the two leaders recalled the spirit of 1971 liberation War and expressed satisfaction at the joint celebration of Maitri Diwas marking the recognition granted by India to Bangladesh on 6th December 1971.
Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen apprised President Kovind of the excellent progress in the bilateral cooperation and of future joint projects including in the area of connectivity.
President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Bangladesh for his three-day state visit today. He was welcomed at the airport by the President of Bangladesh Md. Abdul Hamid. He was given a ceremonial guard of honour at the airport on arrival. President Kovind proceeded to the National Martyr’s memorial at Savar from the airport to pay tributes to the martyrs of the 1971 liberation war. He planted a sapling and signed the visitor’s book at the martyr’s memorial in Savar.
The President visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum to pay his respects to Bangladesh’s Father of Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Tomorrow on the occasion of the Victory Day, President Kovind will participate in the celebration of the golden jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh and the birth centenary year of Bangandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Guest of Honour. On this occasion, a 122 member tri-services contingent from the Indian armed forces will also participate in the parade.
President Kovind is scheduled to meet the liberation war fighters of Bangladesh called Muktijoddhas as well as Indian veterans during the three-day visit to Bangladesh. He will also be interacting with a cross-section of Bangladeshi society and visit places of cultural and historical importance in Dhaka before returning back to India on December 17.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had termed the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Bangladesh as reflecting the strength of India Bangladesh relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar had visited Bangladesh reflecting the importance of Bangladesh in its neighbourhood first policy. Highlighting the importance of the visit, Foreign Secretary Shringla had said that the visit provides an opportunity to renew bonds between the two countries based on shared heritage, history and geographical space as well as the shared experience of India’s support for Bangladesh during the liberation war of 1971. The visit of President Kovind is also an occasion to seek newer areas of cooperation in the fields of renewable energy, working together in digital space, education and health care links.