Prez Kovind meets Bangladesh PM Hasina to further bolster India-Bangla ties

Prez Kovind is on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh starting 15 -17 December and it is his first visit abroad since the covid pandemic. He is in Dhaka to attend the 50th Victory Day celebrations of Bangladesh.

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday met the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.

"The discussion between both the leaders was comprehensive encompassing many areas of our multifaceted relationship, including jointly preserving the legacy of the Bangabandhu & 1971 war", Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said during a special briefing in Dhaka.

Earlier today, Sheikh Rehana, youngest daughter of Bangladesh Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman received President Ram Nath Kovind at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhaka and showed the visiting dignitary around it.

President Ram Nath Kovind also held delegation-level talks with Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid in Dhaka. Both leaders discussed wide-ranging issues of interest for both the countries, including connectivity and trade, cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 & development partnerships.

Prez Kovind is on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh starting 15 -17 December and it is his first visit abroad since the covid pandemic. He is in Dhaka to attend the 50th Victory Day celebrations of Bangladesh.

While addressing media regarding the summing-up of the President's first-day visit to Dhaka, Foreign Secretary said that the Government of India has decided to review the Nutan India-Bangladesh Maitree Muktijodha Sontan Scholarship Scheme for the heirs of Bangladeshi Muktijodhas.

The scheme was launched in April, 2017 during the visit of PM Sheikh Hasina to India.

Shringla said that an in-depth discussion was held on the Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline and that it is progressing very well and both sides would be in a position to inaugurate it next year.

He further noted that India & Bangladesh are aspirational nations.

"Today, we have achieved an incredible amount of synergies in terms of connectivity, joint manufacturing & cooperation. We have set the stage for an exponential increase in ties", he reiterated.

Tomorrow, 16 December, President Kovind and the First Lady will attend the national programme of Victory Day as the Guest of Honour at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka. While 122-member tri-services contingent of Indian Armed Forces will participate in the parade.

However, on 17 December, Friday, President Kovind will inaugurate the renovated Sri Ramna Kali Mandir, which was destroyed by Pakistani forces during heinous Operation Searchlight in 1971.

The visit of the President on this historic occasion is a reflection of the high priority that both countries attach to the bilateral relationship.

It also reaffirms the shared desire of both countries to further consolidate and strengthen the multifaceted and irreversible partnership, based on historical and cultural ties, mutual trust and understanding.