Dhaka, Delhi to expand regional, sub-regional cooperation .

‘The key message is to have a deeper friendship with India. We want cooperation, they also want cooperation on overall issues,’ Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque told reporters at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry after his meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Dr S Jaishankar.
Foreign Ministry Director General (DG-South Asia) Tareq M Ariful Islam and DG (External Publicity) S Bodiruzzaman were also present.
He said they had focus on three major areas — bilateral relations, regional and sub-regional and international relations — during the ‘brief’ bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart.
Haque said Bangladesh’s relations with India are deeper and wider and there was an overall discussion on all bilateral issues though detailed discussions were not possible in such brief talks.
Responding to a question on Teesta issue, he said they conveyed Bangladesh’s concern, and India is positive to settle the issue.
Asked about sub-regional cooperation, the Foreign Secretary said there are two initiatives in this regard — one is water and power and connectivity and transport.
The next meeting on sub-regional cooperation with India, Bhutan and Nepal will be held in the second half of the current year, Haque said.
He said they discussed Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) issues to know how these forums can work in a better way for the betterment of people by addressing weaknesses and problems.
When his attention was drawn to media reports that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dhaka in March, the Foreign Secretary said, ‘I’m not aware of any specific date. But he wants to visit as soon as possible.’
He said the current Indian government has a major focus on regional cooperation with special focus for addressing the problems and settling pending issues with its neighbors. ‘We’re seeing a major change in Indian foreign policy towards its neighbor.’
On trade issues, the Foreign Secretary said India will remove all the trade barriers and will soon give their feedback on the list of para-tariff barriers given to Indian side.
Responding to another question, Haque said the political issue was not discussed at the meeting.
Later, the Foreign Secretary hosted lunch for the Indian Foreign Secretary and they had discussion at that time, too.
Meanwhile, the Indian Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and discussed various issues.
After the meeting with the Foreign Minister, Jaishankar told reporters that he had a very successful and constructive meeting and they want more cooperation from India.
Earlier after his meeting with Foreign Secretary, Jaishankar said he discussed a wide range of issues, including Saarc, Bimstec and bilateral issues, with his Bangladesh counterpart.
‘We had a very good discussion,’ he told reporters after his meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque at the Foreign Ministry.
Asked whether they discussed Teesta issues at the meeting, the Indian Foreign Secretary parried the question saying, ‘That’s all I would like to say at this time.’
He arrived here on Monday morning from Bhutan as part of Saarc tour to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues between Bangladesh and India.
Foreign Secretary Haque welcomed his Indian counterpart at the airport upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:35am.
Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran was also present at the airport. The flight was delayed for nearly two hours.
Jaishankar is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at 6:30pm at Parliament Bhaban.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the Foreign Secretary will, in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directives, be undertaking the first phase of the Saarc ‘Yatra’ from March 1.
Jaishankar will leave for Pakistan on Tuesday morning wrapping up his less than 24 hours stay in Dhaka. He will visit Afghanistan on March 4.
This was Jaishankar’s first visit to Bangladesh since he took over the charge of the Indian Foreign Secretary on January 29.
Earlier on February 13, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would soon be sending his new Foreign Secretary Foreign Secretary Jaishankar to Saarc countries to strengthen ties with the member countries.