Bangladesh youths meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee

The 100-member Bangladesh youth delegation currently visiting India has called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion on Monday, the president welcomed the youth delegates.

He said India and Bangladesh share common history, culture and struggle against British imperialism.

He congratulated the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka for this initiative, according to the Indian PIB.

Pranab said this type of exchange helps the people of both countries to know each other more intimately and share their thoughts, beliefs and faiths.

He said he has visited Bangladesh a number of times.

After assuming presidency, Bangladesh was the first country that he had visited in 2013 and he fondly recalled it.

He said he was sure that the spirit of love, affection and understanding , which will be the result of this exchange programme, will create a unifying bridge between the two countries.

Pranab said the people of the two countries should move and work together.

The High Commission of India in Dhaka in co-ordination with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Government of Bangladesh has been organising the visit of Bangladeshi youth delegation to India every year since 2012.

The exchange programme involves interaction with local youth, visits to tourist and cultural sites and introduction to economic and social activities.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel was also present, among others during the call on.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka, earlier, said the delegation, comprising 50 young women and as many men, has been drawn from different regions of the country, diverse backgrounds and educational institutions of Bangladesh.

They include doctors, artists, sportspersons, journalists, engineers, models, radio jockeys, humanities and science students, and social workers.

Apart from New Delhi, they will visit Agra, Ahmedabad and Kolkata and see prominent cultural and historical sites, and business centres during their visit until Dec 11. They reached New Delhi on Sunday.