New Delhi, Sept 5: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India's partnership with Bangladesh was important for the stability and prosperity of northeastern states and can have a “profound positive impact” on South Asia.
He said India was committed to extending full support to Bangladesh in its development efforts.
“As a close neighbour and friend, India is committed to extending its full support to Bangladesh in its development efforts. Our partnership with Bangladesh is important for the stability and prosperity of own Northeast region.
“It is a partnership which can have a profound positive impact on the South Asian region as a whole”, Singh said in a statement prior to his departure for Dhaka tomorrow on a 2-day visit.
Singh pointed out that the fact that he would be accompanied to Dhaka by Chief Ministers of all the Northeast states neighbouring Bangladesh “reflects our desire to have across the board engagement with Bangladesh so that the fruits of our cooperation are available to people on both sides of the border”.
He said India attaches “the highest importance” to further developing and strengthening” its relations with Bangladesh.
“Our relations with Bangladesh are rooted in history, culture and the struggle for freedom. Both our countries share common democratic values and development aspirations”, he added.
“Our two countries are today witnessing an extraordinary period of cooperation and friendship and my visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress achieved in the implementation of the decisions taken during the historic visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2010”, the Prime Minister said.
Noting that the two countries have made “concrete progress” in several areas such as security, boundary issues, water resources, power connectivity, improvement of border infrastructure, trade facilitation and economic cooperation”, he said “our endeavour will be to sustain and build upon this positive momentum”.
Singh said he expects his visit to lead to greater cooperation between India and Bangladesh in all these areas. We also expect to conclude concrete agreements which will help us to elevate the level of our cooperation in the traditional areas of cooperation and to develop cooperation in new areas.
He said that during his visit, he will call on President of Bangladesh Mohammad Zillur Rahman and meet the leaders of other political parties in Bangladesh and looks forward to addressing a cross-section of Bangladeshi society at Dhaka University. PTI
