India considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bangladesh visit a “very special and historic” one and asks all not to see it from “narrow context”.
“Both the prime ministers see the future (of the relations) in tapping the potential of youth people (of two countries),” Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said at a briefing on Saturday, ending the visit.
Modi arrived in Dhaka on Friday in a red carpet reception for the two-day visit to attend the historic twin celebrations of the golden jubilee of independence of Bangladesh and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received him at the airport. This was his first visit outside India since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.
This year also marks the 50 years of India, Bangladesh diplomatic ties. India supported Bangladesh wholeheartedly in the 1971 Liberation War.
The Indian foreign secretary said the visit was “very substantive, historically symbolic and very special”.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen in a separate briefing said the prime minister sought India’s cooperation in the Bangladesh’s journey towards a developed country by 2041. She also raised the issue of the pending Teesta water sharing deal. The Indian foreign secretary said they reiterated their earlier position of signing the deal as soon as possible. New Delhi needs support of West Bengal government to ink the deal with Bangladesh as per Indian constitution.
During the visit, Modi handed over 109 basic life support ambulances to Bangladesh and 1.2 million doses of Covishield vaccines.
Modi also visited Tungipara, the graveyard of Bangabandhu, interacted with Matua community in Orakanda and prayed in Satkhira temple.
He is the first foreign leader to visit Tungipara to pay respect to Bangabandhu. Foreign guests usually pay respect to the father of the nation at his portrait at Dhanmondhi 32 museum where he was assassinated on August 15 in 1975.
But Modi's interaction with Matua community was being seen by many as an approach to woo West Bengal voters of the same faith. The vote starts on Saturday.
The Indian foreign secretary asked all not to see the visit in that context as he said the prime minister, Modi, intended to visit Matua community and Shilaidaha Kuthi Bari during his first visit in Bangladesh in 2015.
He could not make Kuthi Bari this time, he said, adding that the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, was happy to receive him at Tungipara.
Even the president, Abdul Hamid, during the call on also thanked the prime minister for the visits outside Dhaka. The President also recalled his visit to different places of India during the meeting.
Both leaders also inaugurated the Bangladesh leg of the Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition in Dhaka.
During the bilateral meeting, both leaders witnessed the signing of five MoUs. Those include MoU on Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation, MoU between Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) and National Cadet Corps of India (INCC), MoU on the Establishment of a Framework of Cooperation in the Area of Trade Remedial Measures between Bangladesh and India, tripartite MoU on Supply of ICT equipment, courseware and reference books and training for Bangladesh-Bharot Digital Service & Employment and Training (BDSET) Center and tripartite MoU on Establishment of Sports facilities at Rajshahi College field and surrounding areas.
Commemorative stamps by the respective postal departments on the occasion of 50 years of Bangladesh-India friendship were also released.
Both leaders laid the foundation stone of the monument at Ashuganj of Bangladesh in memory of martyred members of Indian Allied Forces in Ashuganj.
They inaugurated jointly the extended development work at Rabindra Bhawan Kuthibari in Shilaidaha, Kushtia.
Ground breaking ceremony for Infrastructure Development for Power Evacuation Facilities of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was also held.
They also inaugurated Mitali Express, passenger train service between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri.
Video on concept of inauguration of the Shadhinata Shorok at Mujibnagar was also played. The road is proposed to connect to Kolkata via Nadia.
They also inaugurated three new Border haats at India-Bangladesh border.
During his visit, Modi announced 1000 scholarships for the Bangladeshi youths styled ‘Swarna Jayanti’ scholarship on the occasion of the 50 years of diplomatic relations and the golden jubilee of independence of Bangladesh.
On completion of 50 years of relationship between India and Bangladesh, he announced he would like to invite 50 entrepreneurs of Bangladesh to visit India and “join our start-up and innovation ecosystem and meet our venture capitalists”.
During his public speech at the National Parade ground, he wore a Mujib jacket.
He also handed over the Gandhi Peace Prize awarded to Bangabandhu posthumously to his daughter Sheikh Rehana in presence of the PM, Sheikh Hasina.
He also met the young achievers of Bangladesh and interacted with Muktijoddhas on his first-day of the two-day visit. India gives scholarships to the children of freedom fighters.
"Today I also salute the brave soldiers of Indian Army who stood with brothers & sisters of Bangladesh in 'Muktijuddho'. I am happy that many Indian soldiers who participated in Bangladesh Liberation War are present at this event today," he had said in his speech.
He said both India, Bangladesh face similar threats like terrorism.
"We must remember that we've similar opportunities in fields of trade & commerce, but at the same time, we've similar threats like terrorism. The ideas & powers behind such types of inhumane acts are still active. We must remain vigilant & united to counter them," he said.
“It is necessary that India and Bangladesh progress together,” he said, adding that both countries have common goals, so “our efforts should be united”. Prime Minister Hasina thanked him to visit Dhaka on this historic occasion despite pandemic.
The foreign minister saw Modi off at the airport.
