NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Bangladesh was one of the significant pillars of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy during the virtual summit of India and Bangladesh on Thursday.
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Modi expressed satisfaction over the current state of bilateral relations based on shared bonds of history, culture, and language.
The government has focussed on keeping strong relations with Dhaka since it came to power, said Modi. He tweeted later he looked forward to visiting Dhaka next year. Bangladesh will be accorded high priority in the area of Covid-19 vaccine distribution, said the Ministry of External Affairs at a press briefing.
The two countries signed seven agreements in areas of hydrocarbon, supply of equipment, and agriculture, among others.
Jointly inaugurating the newly restored railway link between Haldibari and Chilahati, the two leaders noted that the rail link will further strengthen trade and people’s ties between the two sides. It was decided to operationalise the train when the Covid-19 situation improves.
Hasina raised the issue of repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. The two leaders jointly unveiled a commemorative postal stamp issued by the Indian government to mark the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Both countries agreed to hold an early meeting of the joint boundary conference to prepare a new set of strip maps along the stretch of Icchamati, Kalindi, Raimongol and the Hariabhanga Rivers from main pillar 1 to the land boundary terminus.
Bangladesh reiterated the request for 1.3 km innocent passage through the river route along river Padma near Rajshahi district to which India assured it would consider the request.