Ratification of land boundary agreement (LBA) and signing Teesta water sharing are vital to strengthening Bangladesh-India bilateral relations, said speakers Saturday at a discussion in the capital.
They laid emphasis on simplification of Indian visa and stop killing of innocent Bangladeshi people on the border by the Indian security forces.
Their observations came at the discussion on 'Bangladesh-India Friendship' at the National Press Club on the day.
Bangladesh India Citizen Society (BICS) arranged the discussion with its executive president Jafar Iqbal Siddiqui in the chair.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said as the chief guest that Bangladesh and India have to work together for poverty alleviation and economic development.
"Bangladesh and India have to work together under partnership for alleviating poverty and expediting economic development in the region and ensuring mutual benefits," he said.
He laid emphasised on strengthening people-to-people contact which will help remove misunderstanding between the two sides, if there is any.
He said one country will have to come forward in another country's danger…in real sense. The two countries should work together.
He said killings along the border have come down significantly in recent days.
Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof Mizanur Rahman said Bangladesh needs a good friend like India. He said India must stop killing along the border to keep the friendship unhurt. He said no such incident should take place between the two countries that might create wounds in the friendship.
"If you are our friend, please stop killing along the border. It appears to be thorns on a friend's way," he said.
Counsellor (Political and Information) of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka Sujit Ghosh said his country is fully committed to taking the existing bilateral friendly relations forward.
"India has been beside Bangladesh, India is there for Bangladesh and it'll be there for Bangladesh in the coming days. There is no doubt about that."
He said Bangladesh and India have many things to do together. The relations will go a long way. There is immense potential to grow further.
Prof Dr Syed Anwar Hossain, Dr Enamul Haque, BICS Secretary General Monoranjan Ghosal, Dr Uttam Kumar Barua and Nazmul Haque Prodhan MP, among others, were present on the occasion.
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