PM’s India visit to yield positive outcome: ex-FS Haque

Bangladesh’s former foreign secretary Shahidul Haque has said the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India would yield a positive outcome as she shares an excellent relationship with Indian Premier Narendra Modi that would help resolve many problems, reports BSS.

“I am very much optimistic that the upcoming visit of PM Sheikh Hasina to India would be a successful one despite some limitations as the two leaders are very firm, warm and have a good relationship,” he said.

Delivering a lecture organised by Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) on Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon, he said that in the past the two leaders had solved many issues in a minute which the bureaucrats and foreign office of both countries could not.

India’s former foreign secretary and G20 Chief Coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla chaired the lecture session when Director General of ICWA Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh gave opening remarks on the occasion.

Haque, who is now holding ICCR Bangabandhu Chair at Delhi University, said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the issue of Kushiyara river that is remained pending for quite a long time will go on a full force during the discussion apart from trade and investment, border mobility and connectivity.

He opined that Bangladesh and India should feature out water resources development apart from water distribution.

About Bangladesh-India relations, he said relations between the two countries are very critical in Bangladesh’s foreign policy.

Bangladesh’s relation with India is very special and eternal and it would be further strengthened in more areas for the benefit of two country’s people, he added.

He said the relation between the two countries is eternal as it is based on history, culture, connectivity as well as sacrifice.  

Taking part in the discussion, Shringla, the former ambassador of India to Bangladesh, said the current era of Bangladesh-India ties are referred to as ‘Sonali Adhyay’- golden chapter.

He said the relations got momentum during the last 10 years when many developments have been happened.

In this context, he referred to the visit of three important dignitaries from India- President, PM and External Affairs Minister- to Bangladesh in a single year which, he said, reflects the closeness of ties between the two countries.

He said in 2008, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after assuming office announced her zero tolerance policy on terrorism and violent extremism that sent a signalled that both the countries need peace and stability.

He said that the India’s decision to provide duty free access of Bangladeshi products to India and for giving over 10 billion dollars soft concessional credit to Bangladesh paved the way to create trust and understanding between the two countries.

After the CEPA is finally signed, and it is work in progress currently, Bangladesh's gross domestic product or GDP could go up by nearly 1.5 percent and India will also greatly benefit from the move, he said.