Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue Begins on Friday

The two-day 10th round of Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue will begin on Friday at Shimla, the capital of Indian state of Himachal, marking the 50th anniversary of two neighbouring countries relations, reports BSS. 

The dialogue aims to review bilateral relations and further boost ties in various fields of cooperation between the two friendly countries, sources said.  

Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies and India Foundation are jointly organising the event styled "Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue" with the participation of policymakers, diplomats, and experts on India-Bangladesh relations from both countries.

Sources said the two-day dialogue will cover a wide range of issues including trade and investment, connectivity, technology, energy, regional security, extremism, and sustainable development by increasing people-to-people contact.

The participants of the dialogue are expected to place a set of recommendations on the basis of the outcome of the discussions to further boost ties between the two countries.

When contacted, Director of India Foundation Alok Bansal told BSS that a 38-member Bangladesh delegation comprising policymakers, experts, and diplomats are expected to join the dialogue.

The guests from Bangladesh side will be starting arriving in India from Thursday to join the event, he added.

Sources, however, said the Bangladesh delegation will be included Awami League Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam MP, Asim Kumar Ukil, MP, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, former diplomats Tareq Karim and Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran and A S M Shamsul Arefin, among others.

Besides, the Indian side will be included, among others, by Chief Minister of India's Himachal Pradesh Joi Ram Thakur, BJP's former National General Secretary Ram Madhav, State Minister for Ministry of External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and India Foundation Director Alok Bansal.

The 9th round of India Bangladesh Friendship dialogue was held in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh in November 2019.