India visit was short but fruitful: PM Hasina

The recent India visit was short but fruitful, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding her two-day bilateral visit to the neighbouring country. 

"I think this visit will play a far-reaching role in strengthening the existing excellent relations between India and Bangladesh," said Sheikh Hasina while addressing a press conference at her official Ganabhaban residence today (25 June).

The press conference held to inform the media of the outcome of her recent state visit to India began at 11am.

Regarding a bilateral meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi at the historic Hyderabad House, she said, "During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said Bangladesh-India relations are constantly flourishing and progressing rapidly. Emphasising good relations with neighbours and regional cooperation amid ongoing global instability and uncertainty, he said, they are interested in working more deeply with Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is at the centre of their 'Neighbourhood First', 'Act East', 'SAGAR and Indo-Pacific' policies."

After the meeting, five new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed and exchanged and three renewed MoUs were signed and exchanged between the two countries. In addition, two Vision Statements were signed and exchanged. In the meeting, 13 joint programmes as areas of future work were announced.

Regarding river water sharing between the two countries, PM Hasina said, "We discussed the renewal of the Ganges River Water Sharing Agreement and India's assistance in the Teesta River Water Management and Water Conservation Project in Bangladesh. However, this has no link with the long-standing unsettled issue of Teesta water sharing."

Also, they discussed introduction of e-Visa for patients travelling from Bangladesh for medical purpose in India and establishment of new Assistant High Commission of India in Rangpur.

"This will allow critical patients to process their visas faster than before and travel in lesser time," said the PM.

Bangladesh-India relations have been elevated to a unique height in the last 15 years, said Sheikh Hasina adding, "The people of both countries are enjoying the benefits. Especially in 2023, a new dimension has been added to the relations between the two countries.

"Last year I and the Prime Minister of India jointly inaugurated four projects in the communication and power sectors. Bangladesh-India jointly produced the film "Mujib: The Making of a Nation", a biopic of Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. As the only country in South Asia, I attended the G-20 summit at the invitation of India. The visit was held after the formation of new governments in both Bangladesh and India," she added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to New Delhi on 21 June on a two-day state visit to India at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

This was the first bilateral visit by any head of government to India after the BJP-led alliance formed its government for the third consecutive time following the Lok Sabha elections.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, ambassador-at-large, Private Industry and Investment adviser, state minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, state minister for Commerce, secretaries of some ministries and high government officials, and some prominent businessmen and a delegation of journalists were in the prime minister's entourage.

Besides, this visit was Sheikh Hasina's second trip to the Indian capital in less than 15 days, as she was among the dignitaries invited to Modi's swearing-in ceremony on 9 June.

During the visit, Dhaka and New Delhi signed ten Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) including seven new and three renewed to further consolidate the ever-growing relationship between the two neighbouring countries.