Staff Reporter:
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday laid emphasis on quick resolving the outstanding issues between Bangladesh and India through discussions to further strengthen and sustain the existing relations between the two countries.
“Mutual trust and confidence between the peoples of the two countries would increase further if matters of mutual interest were resolved through fair and mutually acceptable solutions,” he said.
He made the remarks when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi paid a cour-tesy call on the President at Bangabhaban yesterday morning.
President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam said during a briefing after the meeting.
The President urged India to take effective measures to ensure a fair share of the waters of common rivers, including the Ganges and the Teesta.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi informed the President that his govern-ment was taking positive measures in this regard.
The President said Bangladesh attaches special importance to its relations with India as its closest neighbour and an important trade and development partner.
President Alamgir said Bangladesh is interested in building a respectful, forward-looking, mutually respectful and mutually beneficial partnership with India while upholding sovereign equality, na-tional interests and dignity, and the welfare of the people.
During the meeting, the Indian High Commissioner congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on assuming office as President.
Mentioning that India attaches great importance to its relations with Bangladesh, High Commis-sioner Trivedi reiterated his country’s commitment to further expanding cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including bilateral relations.
He said his country is keen to further consolidate, improve and strengthen relations between the two countries based on mutual respect, trust and cooperation.
The President thanked the High Commissioner for his congratulations and requested him to convey his sincere gratitude and greetings to the President of India.
“There is immense scope for further expanding cooperation in various fields, including trade, water resources management, technology, connectivity, culture and people-to-people relations between the two countries,” the president said.
India and Bangladesh can work more closely to achieve common peace, development and prosperi-ty by utilizing the capabilities and potential of the peoples of both countries, he added.
The Indian High Commissioner expressed hope that the two countries would continue to work to-gether and sought the President’s cooperation in discharging his responsibilities.
The President wished him a successful tenure and expressed hope that relations between the two countries would become more fruitful, positive and people-oriented in his tenure.
Senior officials from the President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian High Commission were present during the meeting.
