Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday night and conveyed that India stands firmly with Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism.
The high commissioner noted that terrorism and extremism are major impediments to peace and development in the region.
“India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and there can be no justification for senseless acts of violence,” a
High Commission release quoted him as saying.
Shringla informed the BNP chairperson of recent developments in bilateral cooperation and said India is fully committed to partnering Bangladesh in its economic development with a pragmatic and mature approach based on sovereignty, equality, friendship, trust and understanding for the mutual benefit of peoples of both countries and collective prosperity of the region.
The high commissioner also referred to the focus on development of infrastructure and improving connectivity to facilitate bilateral trade and economic ties, with, more people-to-people contacts.
The meeting that began at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office at 8:10 pm last for one hour and 20 minutes.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, BNP chairperson’s adviser Sabihuddin Ahmed said it was a courtesy call. “Issues relating to bilateral interests were discussed at the meeting,” he said.
He, however, parried a question whether the country’s latest political situation, and terrorism and militancy were discussed at the meeting.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, were, among others, present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, a BNP leader who was present at the meeting said issues relating to mutual interests of the two nations and Bangladesh’s current situation and militancy and terrorism problem came up for discussions at the meeting.
Besides, he said, the BNP chief made clear her party’s stance over India and sent out a message that her party wants India to build relations with the country’s people instead of only one party to make the ties between the two close neighbours sustainable.
It was the first meeting between the BNP chief and Harsh Vardhan since the latter’s arrival in Dhaka on 14 January this year as the new Indian high commissioner.
The Indian high commissioner presented a bouquet to Khaleda.
Shringla, a career diplomat, succeeded former Indian high commissioner Pankaj Saran who left Dhaka on 19 December last year on completion of his diplomatic assignment here.
Source: Prothom Alo
