Visiting President of India Ram Nath Kovind has termed India-Bangladesh relations as comprehensive and lively. The President of India said, “Bangladesh is India’s development partner. India-Bangladesh partnership is wide and lively.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday paid a courtesy call to Ram Nath Kovind at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. After the meeting, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Ihsanul Karim briefed the journalists.
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind said he was happy to be a part of the celebration of three mega-events. He said that at a time when Bangladesh was celebrating the birth centenary of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between the two countries, he was very happy to be present at these events.
He arrived in Bangladesh on a three-day visit at the invitation of President Abdul Hamid to mark the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s Victory Day, the closing day of Mujib’s year and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-India relations.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina termed 2021 as a landmark year for Bangladesh because this year the country is celebrating the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation, the independence of Bangladesh and the golden jubilee of India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations.
Referring to India as an absolute friend, the Prime Minister said, “Even in the Covid-19 situation, the exchange of visits between the two countries bears witness to the warm relations between the two countries.”
Sheikh Hasina recalled the important role played by the then Government of India and their people during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also recalled the historic and successful visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March this year to attend the celebrations of the three events.
Noting that after the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, communication between the two countries was cut off on various routes, the Prime Minister called for the restoration of those routes. He expressed satisfaction over the ongoing cooperation in various fields even in the current epidemic situation.
The Indian President said that he was happy to be in Bangladesh and mentioned that this was his first visit after Covid-19. Referring to Bangabandhu as the ideal of pluralism and democracy, he said the Bangabandhu-Bapuji digital exhibition was important. Bangabandhu Chair has been established at Delhi University.
He added that Bangladesh was the first country to receive the Covid-19 vaccine from India and thanked Bangladesh for sending the Covid-19 vaccine.
The President of India expressed hope that Bangladesh would be more prosperous and developed under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. He appreciated Bangladesh’s support for India in various international forums and thanked Sheikh Hasina for sending mangoes. In reply, Sheikh Hasina said the shipment of medicines, Covid-19 vaccine and protective equipment was a sign of goodwill and cooperation between the two countries.
Referring to Bangladesh as a believer in secularism, the Prime Minister said, “Everyone is free to observe their own religious rights and customs. There are no barriers here. Religion is for the individual, the festival is for everyone.”
Agriculture Minister on behalf of Bangladesh, Abdur Razzak, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, Chief Secretary Ahmed Kaikaus, Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen and Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office and Tofazzal Hossain Mia were present.
Indian Minister of State for Education Subhash Sarkar, Rajdeep Roy, Secretary to the President of India KD Tripathi, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Indian High Commissioner Vikram Kumar Doraiswamy were present on behalf of India.