Narendra Modi’s speech in Dhaka is 'impressive, inspiring', say Bangladesh youths

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already become a brand with his names chanted in New York’s Madison Square Garden, Sydney and Canada by the way he speaks in public gatherings.

On Sunday, it was his Bangladesh show. And he did not disappoint with his speech of more than one hour. 

He touched upon a whole range of issues in the India-Bangladesh relations and its global impact.

Dhaka University co-organised the public speech with Indian High Commission in Dhaka at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre just before he left Dhaka, ending a two-day hectic visit.

“Really impressive,” was what Md Mahfuzur Rahman said when asked what he felt about the speech.

A recent graduate in journalism from Dhaka University, he was invited to the event as he had visited India as part of a Bangladesh youth delegation in 2013.

“He gave us many hopes. Overall, I found nothing to be frustrated about,” he told bdnews24.com.

“He did his homework well before speaking here and said exactly what we wanted to hear from him.”

Modi spoke highly of Bangladesh’s successes on social and economic fronts, and was cheered, his name chanted and applauded by a 1,500-strong audience from across a broad spectrum of society.

“He inspired me as he spoke about our (Bangladesh’s) strengths,” said Roufun Naher, a psychology student at Dhaka University, who also was in Modi’s audience.

“He spoke of our women empowerment, girls education, garment industry, and also about working together. He spoke about us (youths),” she said.

A big chunk of Modi’s speech was about the power of youths under 35 years of age who comprise 65 percent of the total population of the two countries.

If their talents combined, they could change the world, Modi said.

Amit Seal Ami, a young lecturer at Dhaka University, told bdnews24.com that with his speech Modi tried to reach out to Bangladeshis.

“He spoke a few lines in Bangla, he spoke on 1971, he noticed a banner while moving around Dhaka and mentioned that in his speech.

“He is very active. I think he really wants to do something,” he said.

“He also talked about Teesta and said birds, air and rivers cannot be divided. I never heard such comparison. This is quite interesting”.

A young lecturer at Dhaka City College, Shubhro Deb Biswas said: “By saying that birds, air, river cannot be divided, he basically addressed Teesta issue technically.

“He is truly amazing. I never felt bored during his long speech,” he said

Modi also talked about stepping up tourism between India and Bangladesh. For, tourism had a unifying effect, terrorism divided the world, he said.

He thanked Sheikh Hasina for assuring him once again about “zero tolerance” towards terrorism.

The Indian leader received raucous standing ovation at the end of his speech and left for the airport.

And just before flying out of Dhaka, he tweeted: “Thank you Bangladesh. The visit will remain forever etched in my memory. Outcomes of the visit will lead to a stronger partnership”.