India is privileged to be Bangladesh’s neighbour, High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das said, adding that mutual inter-dependency and collective prosperity are the ‘norms’ of the bilateral relations. She was hosting the Indian Republic Day reception in Dhaka with the presence of people from all strata including ministers, politicians, academics, artists, businessmen, and journalists.
January 26 is a national holiday in India honouring the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950 replacing the Government of India Act as the governing document of India. This turned the nation into a newly formed republic. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka began the celebration of the day, which is the 71st Republic Day, at the Chancery premises in the morning where the High Commissioner unfurled the national flag and read out the President’s address to the Nation.
The Mahar regimental band of the Idian Army which was specially flown in for the occasion, played the Indian National Anthem. Members of the Indian Community in Dhaka joined the Republic Day celebrations in large numbers and presented a cultural programme showcasing India’s unity in diversity.
In the evening, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen was the chief guest at the celebration at Bashundhara convention center in Dhaka. The High Commissioner recalled the historic relations between the countries that began in 1971 when India stood by Bangladesh and said the histories of our two countries are ‘intertwined’.
“As Bangladesh gets ready to celebrate Mujib Borsho from 17 March, 2020 onwards, we reflect back on those years when Bangabandhu suffered immense hardship and sacrifice to give dignity and freedom to the people of Bangladesh,” she said. “India stood firmly, albeit sometimes alone, by Bangladesh as thousands of people from Bangladesh escaped unimaginable horror and misery and poured into India and the people of India on their part opened their homes and hearts to them.
“Today, when Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is striving forward to make Bangabandhu’s dream of Sonar Bangla a reality, India stands by Bangladesh as a committed friend and partner,” she said. “As Bangladesh celebrates Mujibbarsho, India also stakes a claim to Bangabandhu- he belongs to us too and we are privileged to be Bangladesh’s neighbour.”
The High Commissioner said the “relationship between India and Bangladesh is anchored in history, culture, language and shared values of secularism, democracy and countless other commonalities between our two countries.” “It is based on sovereignty, equality, trust, understanding and an all round partnership that has now gone beyond a strategic partnership.
“Our neighborhood policy follows our Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, which envisions that we prosper together. “The Government of India accords top priority to relations with Bangladesh. For us, it is neighborhood first and in the neighborhood, it is Bangladesh first.
“Our ability to resolve various long outstanding issues including land boundary agreement and maritime boundary indicate that we have traveled a long way,” she said. “This also sets a unique example to the world on good neighborly relations. Our multidimensional cooperation ranges from traditional sectors of tourism, health and education to frontier technologies of nuclear science, space and information technology.”
India and Bangladesh can look back on a ‘fruitful’ year in the bilateral relations. Both the Governments have undertaken various initiatives in the past year to promote the economic well being of citizens including improved connectivity between Bangladesh and the neighboring States of India, increase in the frequency of train services between both the countries, consolidation of development partnership and strengthening defense relations.
The bilateral trade prospects for the future are brighter with Bangladesh exports crossing one billion dollar mark. The recent purchase of two large shipping vessels from Bangladesh by an Indian firm is another milestone in our bilateral trade relations. Expansion of the bilateral cooperation to new frontiers including training of Bangladeshi scientists in civil nuclear energy, establishment of IT parks and Centers of Excellence by the Government of India in Bangladesh reflects overall evolution of our partnership.
“Promotion of people to people contacts and human resource development are key components of our bilateral relations with Bangladesh,” the High Commissioner said, adding that India had issued over 16 lakh visas to Bangladesh nationals in 2019 for visiting India. “We are committed to further promote the ease of travel for our Bangladeshi friends.”
The government of India had trained around 8000 Bangladeshis in India under various scholarship programs since 2013. In addition, every year around 180 Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships are being offered for Bangladeshi students to pursue their under graduation and post graduation in educational institutes of India including the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs).
She also highlighted the socio-economic development of India and said the last 70-plus years have seen India emerge as “a vibrant and successful democracy which has been able to also achieve consistent economic growth.” “Equitable development has been the corner stone of our various socio-economic policies in Independent India,” she said.
