India’s Foreign Minister’s Maiden Visit To Bangladesh

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India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar’s maiden visit to Bangladesh was more of a courtesy call to extend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina for a State visit to India in the first week of October. It came at an important juncture of the ever improving bilateral ties between the two neighbours. 

The Indian External Affairs Minister’s meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister was productive. It was meant to prepare the ground for the October meeting between Shiekh Hasina and the Indian Prime Minister. 

Dr. Jaishankar handed over the letter of invitation from Prime Minister Modi to Sheikh Hasina during the meeting at ‘Ganobhaban’, her official residence. Ms. Hasina extended her gratitude to Mr. Modi for the invitation. 

The Indian Minister said New Delhi was looking forward to her New Delhi visit in October. Both Dr. Jaishankar and Shiekh Hasina held productive discussions wherein matters of mutual interest were discussed,” the Indian External Affairs Ministry said. 

A former diplomat, Dr. Jaishankar had earlier visited Bangladesh in his capacity as India’s Foreign Secretary. In his first visit as India’s External Affairs Minister he began his tour with a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart A K Abdul Momen. 

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was held in a cordial atmosphere. Both sides discussed issues of bilateral, security and strategic interests. Both countries are keen to take the present cordial relation to new heights and further build on the mutual trust between the top leadership of the two countries. This was quite evident as they shared each other’s mutual concerns. 

The relations between India and Bangladesh are more than a ‘strategic partnership’. Dr. Jaishankar said that it was his “privilege” to be associated with this relationship earlier as the Foreign Secretary and now as India’s External Affairs Minister. 

“We believe that when it comes to security, improved partnership against crimes, terrorism and extremism and terrorist group is the direct benefit of the people of both countries,” Dr. Jaishankar was further quoted as saying in an implicit reference to the ongoing engagements between the two nations in resolving the complex Rohingya crisis. 

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had earlier observed that among other things he would discuss with his Indian counterpart the need for an early resolution of Rohingya crisis ‘as it might affect regional stability’. 

Speaking to the media, Dr. Jaishankar said that he had a fruitful interaction with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen. On the Rohingya issue, the Indian Minister said that India and Bangladesh have agreed upon their ‘safe, speedy and sustainable return’ to Myanmar. 

Over 700,000 Rohingyas fled Myanmar in the wake of a crack down on them by Myanmar’s military. A large number of them have been residing in Bangladesh. Both India and Bangladesh are now making efforts for their early return to Myanmar. 

Dr. Jaishankar termed India-Bangladesh relation as a model for other south Asian countries to emulate. The relations have been further cemented by various initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he came to power in 2014. In a historic development both countries agreed to implement the Land Boundary Agreement during Mr. Modi’s first visit to Dhaka in June 2015, resolving the 41 year old boundary issue between the two countries. 

In April 2017 when Prime Minister Hasina visited New Delhi, 22 agreements covering defence, nuclear energy, cyber security and media were signed. India has also since extended two lines of credit (LOCs) worth US$ 3-billion in 2015 and US$ 4.5 billion in 2017 for 17 development projects and upgrading of ports in Bangladesh. 

When Sheikh Hasina visits New Delhi this year, it will also be an occasion to remember Bangladesh’s Father of Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, whose 100th birth anniversary would be observed in 2020. The role of Indian forces in Bangladesh’s freedom struggle is noteworthy. The ties between the two countries at their best now. India wishes for a strong and prosperous Bangladesh for lasting peace and stability in the South Asian region. 

Script: Dipankar Chakraborty, Spl. Representative, the Statesman

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