Bangladesh�s stronger ties with India�s NE to benefit both: FM
UNB
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali yesterday said Indias North-East (NE) comes as an important link of connectivity as Bangladesh wants to be a bridge among South Asia, South-East Asia and beyond, reports UNB.
Our opportunities are endless - once were able to realise these, itll enormously contribute to taking the overall Bangladesh-India bilateral ties to a greater height, he said.
The Foreign Minister was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day seminar titled Bangladesh and India Northeast: Exploring Opportunities and Mutual Interests. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh arranged the event in the city. Chairman of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Dr Akmal Hossain, among others, spoke at the inaugural session. Resource persons from Bangladesh and India were present.
Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh is looking forward to a greater economic integration with Indias North-East for mutual benefit. This would particularly facilitate North-Easts socio-economic development and better connectivity with rest of India. Complementing Indias endeavour to develop its North-east is also in our own interest.
The Foreign Minister said that this has an important security dimension which they should not lose the sight of either. Security is poised to play an important role in ensuring economic development, peace and stability in this region. Mahmood Ali said although Bangladesh and North-east of India are contiguous, the areas are still at different development stages. This divergence makes regional cooperation highly demanding.
He said while taking advantage of flexibility, openness and comfort level for all parties, Bangladesh and India should make the best use of mechanisms like BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) and BCIM EC (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic Corridor) where North-east features prominently. This also complements our bilateral efforts. Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh is increasing its diplomatic and consular presence in northeast with a view to enhancing Bangladeshs multi-sectoral engagements.
A Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Guwahati is coming up. Our Agartala Visa Office has already been upgraded to an Assistant High Commission. Our first-ever Assistant High Commissioner would be joining there soon, he said. The Foreign Minister mentioned that these are small links in the bigger picture of an inter-connected region that they are striving for.
During the Liberation War, not only over 10 million of Bangladeshi people took shelter in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, the people of West Bengal and North-east India stood by Bangladeshs side and helped selflessly forsaken millions despite their own hardship.
The relations of Bangladesh with the northeastern states of India, therefore, occupy an important space in the overall Bangladesh-India bilateral relations, the Foreign Minister mentioned. Considering the abundance of natural resources in the North-east, its huge economic potentials remain to be tapped, he said.
Due to our geographical contiguity, we are in the best position to do so. Their natural resources and raw materials can be imported to Bangladesh for value addition and re-exported to India or elsewhere, he said.
