Bangladesh-India ties crucial for meeting common challenges: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today described Bangladesh-India relations a crucial factor for common development challenges as she jointly opened with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi two railway projects and an oil pipeline scheme through a video conference, BSS reported.
“We’ve to work collectively for the development and prosperity for the people of both countries in the new areas, including energy, power, road and rail communications,” she told the conference from her Ganobhaban official residence while Modi joined the event from his office in Delhi.
The Bangladesh premier said Bangladesh-India bilateral cooperation has reached to a new height in the past few years while prospects for economic development would substantially be enhanced through such bilateral projects as “economic development is the biggest challenge for South Asian countries”.
During the second such video conference between the two premiers, Modi said the two countries achieved tremendous success in several sectors through joint initiatives between the two countries so far and “I want to give credit to your able leadership”.
“Geographically we are neighboring countries. But from our way of thinking and values we share, we are family (and) helping each other is part of our family values,” the Indian premier said.
The pipeline would carry petroleum from an oil refinery in India’s Siliguri to Bangladesh’s Parbatipur while the railway projects would yield the 3rd-4th Dual Gauge Line on Dhaka-Tongi Section and Double Line on Dhaka- Joydevpur Section.
Sheikh Hasina sought India’s continued support and cooperation for Bangladesh’s development pursuit after laying the foundation stone of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline and inaugurating the construction work of two rail projects in Bangladesh.
The Indian premier said from today the start of works for Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline “is going to add a new chapter in the friendship of the two countries”.
“It would play a huge role in the mega project taken up by the Bangladesh government. This project would strengthen our relationship,” he said.
The pipeline, Modi said, would specially contribute to fuel supply in a cheaper rate in Bangladesh’s northern part while after its construction with Indian financing, the infrastructure would be handed over to Bangladesh government.
He said Dhaka-Tongi-Joydevpur Railway lines project would not only make the communication easier, but also generate revenues and “these projects would help meeting demand of 21st century”.
“These projects arev very important . . . I hope such cooperation between Bangladesh and India will continue,” Modi said.
Sheikh Hasina, on the other hand, said the two countries were working in unity for development and prosperity and uplift of the people of both countries adding that an excellent environment of bilateral cooperation has been prevailing between us since her government assumed office in 2009.
“We’ll continue it … I’m quite sure that we will get such many happy events in the days ahead for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh and India,” she added.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali joined the function from Dhaka, while Indian External Affairs Minister Sushama Swaraj and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Prodhan joined it from New Delhi.
