Bangladesh-India ties are at their best: Foreign minister

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has said Bangladesh and India are enjoying “the best of relations” as the ties between the “most trusted” neighbours have flourished in depth and dimensions in recent years.

His remarks came in a keynote speech on “Managing disruptive transitions through strong bilateral relations for regional stability” on the concluding day of three-day third Raisina Dialogue at a New Delhi hotel on Thursday.

The dialogue was organised jointly by Observer Research Foundation, a think tank, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has taken “landmark steps towards improving relations with India”, Ali said.

He said remarkable progress has been made in the areas of security, connectivity, development cooperation, cultural exchange, power trade, commerce and defence exchange during the last nine years since Hasina assumed office in 2009.

“The security cooperation, together with our collective fight against terrorism and violent extremism, continue to play an important role in achieving peace, stability and security in the region and beyond,” Mahmood Ali said.

He reiterated Bangladesh’s “firm and unequivocal” position against terrorism has “steadfastly maintained Zero Tolerance to all forms of terrorism.

“No terrorist outfit is allowed to operate from inside Bangladesh and jeopardize the security interests of our neighbours including India,” he observed and pointed out this commitment has been demonstrated through decisive actions in past nine years.

Mahmood Ali recalled the solid foundation of relations between India and Bangladesh was laid by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who also floated as back as in 1972 the concept of regional cooperation in South Asia.

Inspired by her father’s concept, Hasina has continued to pursue regional cooperation and connectivity as a means to effectively minimise the impacts of the disruptive forces, he added.

Speaking about the Rohingya influx from Myanmar, the foreign minister expressed the hope that the problem would be solved permanently with the sustainable return of the refugees to Myanmar.

He referred to the recent ‘Physical Arrangement’ finalised by the two countries to facilitate the return of Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

The foreign minister urged India and the international community to keep putting pressure on Myanmar to ensure complete and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees.