Indian Home Minister Singh arrives in Dhaka for talks

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived in Dhaka on a three-day official visit for talks with his counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 13 July 2018, 12:48 PM
Updated : 13 July 2018, 12:48 PM

Kamal received Singh after a special aircraft carrying the Indian home minister landed at the BAF Base Bangabandhu in Dhaka on Friday afternoon.

Singh’s visit is taking place in the context of the home-minister level talks held on a regular basis between India and Bangladesh, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said.

The last home minister-level talks were held in New Delhi in July 2016.

Issues tied to security, border management, cooperation in countering illegal activities and travel arrangements are expected to be discussed at a meeting on Sunday.

Khan and Singh will review the bilateral relations and discuss ways to strengthen the ties.

This year, according to a senior official of the home ministry, India and Bangladesh will focus on efforts to counter illegal activities such as fake currency, drug and human trafficking.

The two ministers will also discuss proposals to promote people-to-people contacts further between the countries and consular services.

The Indian government has taken a number of measures to simplify visa procedures for Bangladesh citizens by introducing cashless submission of visa application, no requirement of e-token, long-duration visa for senior citizens, freedom fighters and businesspeople.

The visiting minister will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday morning.

He will also inaugurate a state-of-the-art Indian visa application centre at the Jamuna Future Park in the capital before going to Rajshahi.

Khan and Singh will jointly inaugurate the Bangladesh-India Friendship Building at the Bangladesh Police Academy at Sardah in Rajshahi.

On Sunday, before his official meeting with the home minister, he will visit Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi and the Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka.

The Revised Travel Agreements 2018, under which the visa easing processes are acknowledged, will also be signed during the meeting of the two ministers.

The high commission said the visit is expected “to facilitate a comprehensive review of the excellent bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh and contribute to the further strengthening of ties”.