Hailing the current “golden chapter” of Indo-Bangladesh ties, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today said Dhaka has and will continue to make defence purchases from New Delhi.
He, after delivering a speech at Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi, also said the defence and security cooperation between the two neighbouring countries is “on an upswing”.
“I am not the Defence Minister so I am not entitled to talk on defence issues. I cannot comment on technical issues. But we do have defence purchases from India and we shall have defence purchases from India,” said Mahmud while replying to an Indian journalist
He was asked whether Bangladesh is contemplating procuring from India indigenously-manufactured Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Dhruv choppers and other military hardware, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
India granted a 500 million USD soft loan to Bangladesh during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in 2017.
During his lecture on “Bangladesh-India Relations in the Last Decade”, Hasan Mahmud said the two countries are now giving highest priority to three aspects — enhancing mutual trust and confidence, promoting connectivity, and ensuring all round economic cooperation.
“We are going through a golden chapter of our relationship. India-Bangladesh relationship is now a role model for the neighbourhood and democracy today,” he said.
On the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, he said a case has already been filed at the International Court of Justice and Dhaka is in touch with New Delhi in this regard.
Mahmud said the current situation in Myanmar is an “obstacle” to sending back the refugees but he hoped the crisis will be over very soon and “we will be able to send them back. In this respect, we expect assistance and cooperation from the Indian side.”
On his talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval yesterday, Mahmud said a range of issues were discussed including Rohingya refugees, Teesta water, and security.
Daily Star
