Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said Bangladesh and India want zero death along Bangladesh-India border but it is happening, reports UNB.
He said they are also "concerned" like others about the deaths along the border, and hoped that India will comply with their "zero death" position.
“We’re concerned like you. We would relay the message to India that they should comply with their position what they’ve told us already -- no death along the border," the Foreign Minister told reporters at a press conference at his ministry which was arranged hours ahead of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Dr Momen said Bangladesh has renewed their call for zero death along the border during talks between border forces of the two countries recently.
The Foreign Minister said the government of India has agreed to make sure that no killing takes place on the border. It is not true that Kashmiri students are given Bangladeshi visas, he added.
Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said Bangladesh's relations with India is very warm and expressed displeasure saying a section of media makes an issue centering a "non-issue."
He explained why State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam needs to go to the UAE instead of going to India to participate in Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi organised by Overseas Research Foundation (ORF).
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here reacted a few “misleading news items" published in different media regarding the "supposed" visit of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs.
"The inability of his participation has no other connection," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Saturday.
The ministry conveyed that Sate Minister Shahriar Alam was invited as a speaker in the Raisina Dialogue which coincides with his visit to the UAE to accompany the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
"It may be noted that there was no bilateral engagement scheduled during the visit," said the Foreign Minister.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam were, among others, present.