Highlighting the importance of Bangladesh in India's foreign policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Bangladesh continues to be one of the cornerstones of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. PM Modi was speaking at a virtual summit with his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina. Modi said that his government is committed to keeping strong bilateral relations with Bangladesh.
"Bangladesh is a significant pillar of our 'Neighbourhood First' policy. To strengthen relations with Bangladesh has been a priority for me since the first day," said Modi. He further went on to add, "The cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been good notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic."
Hasina pays homage to martyrs of 1971 Bangladesh War of Liberation
In turn, Sheikh Hasina said that India is Bangladesh's true friend. Hasina also paid homage to the martyrs of 1971 Bangladesh War of Liberation. She said, "I pay my gratitude to the govt and people of India who extended wholehearted support for the cause of our liberation." Hasina also praised India over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The summit was held just a day after India celebrated its 50th anniversary of Vijay Diwas. The nation's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, also known as Bangladesh Liberation War.
Modi and Hasina inaugurated a Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition, a pre-1965 railway Chilahati-Haldibari link and signed agreements for the establishment of an India-Bangladesh CEOs forum with IT sector as a priority area. The two leaders also released a commemorative stamp on Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's birth centenary.
The Bangabandhu-Bapu exhibition will be displayed in New Delhi, followed by various locations in Bangladesh, the United Nations, and finally in Kolkata in early 2022. Moreover, India and Bangladesh have been making efforts to improve connectivity and transportation. The leadership on both sides is committed to reviving and operationalizing the six pre-1965 rail ties between India and Bangladesh, officials said.
