DHAKA, Feb 16: Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali has stressed the importance of further strengthening the relations between Dhaka and New Delhi saying that the destinies of the two neighboring countries are ‘inescapably intertwined’ and they must ‘grow together’.
He came up with the remarks on Thursday in a talk titled ‘The Indo-Bangladesh relationship ?Moving beyond Strategic Partnership’ delivered at the Army War College in Indore.
The High Commissioner said Bangladesh should take full advantage of the high growth of the Indian economy to further her own economic development. “On the other hand, a strong and stable Bangladesh provides the best security guarantee for India….”
Muazzem Ali said defence engagements between the two countries have been steadily developing in recent years, said a media release.
He referred to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in April last year when five MoUs were signed on defence cooperation covering the fields of general cooperation, training exchange and procurement, defence financing, medical cooperation and knowledge sharing between the top defence institutes of the two countries.
The envoy noted that 17 officers of Bangladesh Army attended different courses in the Army War College in the last two years and another two are likely to arrive late this year.
He also detailed other aspects of defence cooperation, including the exchange of visits, staff talks, training exchanges, joint exercises, port calls by naval ships.
Muazzem Ali also dwelt on the areas in which Bangladesh and India are making good progress. These are cooperation in security, energy, connectivity, coastal shipping, river management and water sharing, cooperation trade and commerce and people-to-people contacts.
On security, the High Commissioner reiterated that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s principled position against terrorism.
Since she assumed power, Bangladesh did not allow any terrorist groups to use Bangladesh soil to launch any attack against India or any other neighbouring country, he said.
Bangladesh, he said, also expects reciprocity measures from all of her neighbours. (UNI)
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