India and Bangladesh signed four memoranda of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the existing multifaceted bilateral cooperation during Bangladesh FM’s first official visit to India, last week
Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Dr AK Abdul Momen, concluded his maiden official visit to India with the 5th India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission (JCC), held in New Delhi, on 8 February 2019.
Co-chairing the Joint Consultative Committee Meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Bangladeshi FM Abdul Momen, took stock of progress in security, defence, trade & connectivity, development partnership, water, power & energy sectors, consular and cultural cooperation.
In an India-Bangladesh joint press statement, the two counterparts reaffirmed that the relationship between India and Bangladesh, forged in the 1971 Liberation War, goes far beyond a strategic partnership. Today, it is anchored in history, culture, language and shared values of democracy, secularism, development cooperation and countless other commonalities.
The official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar tweeted, “Defining the trajectory of bilateral ties, 4 documents were signed & exchanged in the presence of EAM @SushmaSwaraj & FM of Bangladesh Dr Abdul Momen including MoU on Training & Capacity Building and Cooperation in Medicinal Plants.”
The official press release also disclosed that the MoUs/Agreements signed were: (i) MoU on mid-career training of 1800 Bangladesh civil servants, (ii) MoU between AYUSH and the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of medicinal plants, (iii) MoU between Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh and Central Bureau of Investigation of India. Lastly, another MoU was also signed between Hiranandani Group and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority to facilitate investments in the Indian Economic Zone in Mongla.
Earlier during his visit, Bangladesh FM also called on Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and conveyed the greetings from Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. PM Modi congratulated Bangladesh FM on his appointment & reaffirmed India’s commitment to work with Bangladesh to build on the existing momentum, during the new term of PM Sheikh Hasina.
Prime Minister Modi was the first foreign leader to congratulate PM Sheikh Hasina on the stunning victory of the Awami League in Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections in December 2018.
