BD-India ties 'beyond strategic level', stronger than ever

Foreign secy, Indian envoy opine

FE Report | Published: August 14, 2018 00:35:25

Bangladesh has a 'strategic relationship' with China, but India-Bangladesh relationship is 'beyond strategic level', opined Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Both expressed the same view while speaking at a conference on India-Bangladesh relationship in the capital on Monday.
The foreign secretary said, "When someone refers to the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and China, and asks us to define our relationship with India, we say it is beyond strategic level."
"The BD-India relationship is like that exists between two brothers or two sisters. It is so organic, and beyond any definition."
He also said the Indo-Bangla ties gradually became matured over the years, and now reached such a strong stage, which was never before.
Mr Haque pointed out that as the foreign secretary he never felt any discomfort in dealing with India.
In this connection he noted that both the countries have been in collaboration on key issues like security and stability as well as in other sensitive areas like nuclear power and space.
The Indian envoy said the progress in the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh during the last 10 years is higher than the previous 30 years.
Outlining different aspects of the Indo-Bangla ties he said connectivity, regional cooperation, economic development and people-to-people contact are the key areas where both the countries are now focusing on.
Disputed issues like Land Boundary Agreement and maritime boundary have been solved. The Teesta water-sharing issue has long been pending, but the central government is committed to resolve it as soon as possible, he added.
Mr Shringla mentioned that both the countries have been working on creating a greater physical connectivity through improving rail, road and bus networks.
On the development issue, he said India provided US$ 8.0 billion line of credit, which will bring positive changes in improving the infrastructure of Bangladesh.
"We are also assisting the country in developing the Mongla seaport and to build a rail-link to and from Mongla."
"Both the countries are strong advocates of strengthening the BIMSTEC grouping for enhancing regional cooperation," he said, providing examples of mutual understanding between the countries in bilateral and regional levels.