AMN/ WEB DESK
President Ram Nath Kovind will pay a state visit to Bangladesh between Dec 15-17 to attend the 50th Victory Day celebrations of Bangladesh. Announcing this in Delhi on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release that the President will hold a delegation level meeting with the President of Bangladesh during the visit.
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina will call on the President. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen will also call on him. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid a State Visit to Bangladesh from March 26 to 27 this year to join the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.
Calling Bangladesh a major pillar of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy the statement said that India and Bangladesh share progressive, comprehensive and substantial cooperation in diverse areas ranging from security, border management & defence, water resources, trade, transport & connectivity, health, culture & people-to-people ties, energy & power to development partnership and sub-regional cooperation. It further said that both countries have closely cooperated in addressing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The upcoming visit of the President on this historic occasion is a reflection of the high priority that both countries attach to the bilateral relationship. It also reaffirms the shared desire of both countries to further consolidate and strengthen the multifaceted and irreversible partnership, based on historical and cultural ties, mutual trust and understanding, said the MEA in its statement.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is arriving in Dhaka on Tuesday ahead of the visit of the President on a two day official visit.