India seeks stable, positive ties with Bangladesh: Envoy

Dhaka: Speaking on the India-Bangladesh relations during the Bay of Bengal Conversation organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) being held in Dhaka on Sunday, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma said that India will continue to seek a stable, positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh in which people of both countries are the main stakeholders.

"The fact that our trade and economic ties, our transport and energy connectivity, and our people to people engagements have sustained a positive momentum, despite the turbulent changes in Bangladesh, shows that our relations are truly multifaceted, and cannot be reduced to a single agenda or issue. There are irritants but they have not restricted the overall forward movement in our relations. As two nations whose progress and prosperity are as inter-linked as our geographies and historical roots, the reality of our interdependence and mutual benefit will keep reasserting itself again and again, regardless of changes in the political wind," Verma said.

Highlighting the importance of India-Bangladesh relations, High Commissioner stressed that India takes a long-term view of its relations with Bangladesh and believes that the peace, security, progress and prosperity of the two countries are interlinked. He underlined the continued progress in trade, transport and energy connectivity and people-to-people engagements as a reflection of multifaceted ties, in which the reality of our interdependence and mutual benefit will keep reasserting itself, regardless of political changes.

High Commissioner cited the launch of 40 MW power transmission from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian grid, and the augmentation of infrastructure at the Petrapole-Benapole Integrated Check Post, both within this month itself, as examples of continued progress in bilateral exchanges. He also described India-Bangladesh cooperation as an anchor for regional integration envisaged under architectures such as BIMSTEC.

High Commissioner further expressed India's commitment to working together with the government and people of Bangladesh to fulfil our shared aspirations for peace, security and development, and to ensure that our partnership continues to bring benefit to the common people on both sides.