Dhaka: India and Bangladesh on Wednesday discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation and deepen engagement between their armed forces.
The talks were held between India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi and Advisor to Bangladesh’s Prime Minister for the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Division, A K M Shamsul Islam.
During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
“The discussions underlined the strong bond existing between the Armed Forces of the two countries. The meeting included deliberations on wide-ranging topics to enhance defence-related engagements. Both the dignitaries expressed their commitment to further enhance the relationship and to work together on various mutually beneficial areas of interests,” the Indian High Commission in Dhaka posted on X.
The meeting came a day after Trivedi made a courtesy call on Bangladesh President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Bangabhaban in Dhaka and discussed deepening bilateral ties.
High Commissioner conveyed warm greetings to the President and wished him success for his continued service to the people of Bangladesh.
“The discussion underscored the deep-rooted bonds between India and Bangladesh, built on shared history, close cultural ties and people-to-people relations. They emphasised the importance of strengthening the bilateral partnership for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two sovereign countries,” the Indian mission wrote on X.
President Alamgir said that Dhaka attaches significant importance to its relationship with India, given its position as Bangladesh’s closest neighbour and an important partner in trade and development.
He made the remarks during his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Trivedi at Bangabhaban on Tuesday morning, according to President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam, Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported.
Alamgir expressed Bangladesh’s willingness to build a respectful, forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership with India, based on sovereign equality, national interests, dignity and the welfare of the people.
Thanking the Indian High Commissioner for his greetings, President Alamgir asked him to convey his gratitude and best wishes to the President of India.
He further said there was significant scope to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, water management, technology, connectivity, culture and people-to-people ties.
On Tuesday, Trivedi also met Bangladesh’s Minister of Shipping, Railways, Road Transport and Bridges, Shaikh Rabiul Alam, in Dhaka, as the two sides discussed the importance of strengthening connectivity between the two countries.
During the meeting, both sides also reviewed areas of mutual interest, including railways, shipping, connectivity and bilateral development projects.
(IANS)
