Indian president eyes stronger, deeper cooperation with Bangladesh

President of India Droupadi Murmu on Monday said Bangladesh occupies a special place in India's "neighbourhood first" policy and she looks forward to "stronger and deeper" cooperation between the two countries in all aspects in the coming days.

Murmu recalled the joint celebrations of "Mujib Year" marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's War of Liberation and 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

She made the remarks when newly appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman presented his credentials to the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Mentioning the immense political will to take forward the relations, Murmu recalled her recent meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this September in New Delhi and later in London.

She has also mentioned that Bangladesh is India's largest trade partner in South Asia and highlighted the largest visa operations of India in Dhaka.

By welcoming and congratulating the new envoy, President Murmu has said that India-Bangladesh relations are bounded by language, culture, and history and the unique tie is forged in shared sacrifices.

High Commissioner Rahman appreciated the opportunity to present the credentials and conveyed greetings from Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The high commissioner has said Bangladesh remains grateful to the government and people of India for extending their moral and material support during the War of Liberation fought under the leadership of Bangabandhu in 1971.

The Indo-Bangladesh cooperation had, in fact, begun on the battlefield of 1971, he recalled.

He said that the India-Bangladesh relation has reached a new height and it is described as a model of "neighbourhood relations".

The envoy assured the Indian president that he would try to further expand and consolidate bilateral cooperation.

He underscored Hasina's persistent efforts to further promote regional and sub-regional cooperation on a win-win basis.

He thanked the government of India for inviting Bangladesh to the G-20 Summit.

Rahman takes up his India assignment after serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices, WTO and other international organisations in Geneva from 2020-22.

He was also Bangladesh's ambassador to Switzerland.