Prime Minister Stresses Better Cooperation with Neighbours

On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for better cooperation with neighbouring countries in order for the citizens of the region to develop.

"Friendship to all and hostility to none' is our foreign policy. "We always believe that, first of all, better cooperation with neighbouring countries is important for the growth of the citizens of the country," she said when Riva Ganguly Das, the outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, called her this morning at her official residence in Ganabhab, reports BSS.

The neighbouring countries may use Bangladesh's Chattogram, Sylhet and Syedpur Airports for their convenience, Sheikh Hasina also said.

The PM's press secretary, Ihsanul Karim, briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said that the prime minister and the high commissioner were discussing bilateral issues.

The situation of COVID-19 and the prolonged Rohingya crisis have also been addressed, the press secretary informed.

In this connection, Riva Ganguly said the two countries are working together to combat the deadly COVID-19.

She praised the measures taken by Bangladesh to curb the pandemic under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Indian envoy also praised the economic growth of Bangladesh in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic under the leadership of the prime minister.

Sheikh Hasina said the people of all classes and professions are working together during this crisis.

The prime minister mentioned that massive programmes had been taken on the occasion of the ‘Mujib Borsho’. “But we could not celebrate many programmes due to coronavirus outbreak,” she said.

In addition to the government's daily tree planting programme, she said her party conducted a special program during the Mujib Borsho to plant one crore trees across the country.

The High Commissioner delivered a letter from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sheikh Hasina in which, on the occasion of her 74th birthday, he (Modi) welcomed the Bangladesh Premier.

The high commissioner too wished the prime minister on the occasion of her birthday.

The prime minister thanked Modi and Riva Ganguly for greeting her, the press secretary said.

Sheikh Hasina recalled India’s contributions to Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.

She said that the people of India and all of its political parties extended overwhelming support for the Liberation War in Bangladesh and endorsed the historic land border agreement with Bangladesh in the same way.

The Indian envoy told the Prime Minister that it is likely that the foreign ministers of the two countries will hold talks on Tuesday.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus and Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka Bishwadip Dey were present on the occasion.