Bangladesh and India have discussed areas of future engagement in line with the national development goals of the two countries, including the visions of "Smart Bangladesh 2041" and "Viksit Bharat 2047"

At the invitation of the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S.Jaishankar, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud is paying an official visit to India from February 7-9, 2024.

"Our discussions will strengthen (the) Bangladesh-India Maitri (friendship)," Jaishankar said in a brief message shared from X, formerly known as Twitter.

This was Foreign Minister Hasan's first official visit to India, and his first bilateral visit to any country, after assuming office as the new Foreign Minister of Bangladesh in January 2024.

The External Affairs Minister held delegation-level talks with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister and hosted a dinner in his honour on February 7.

During their interaction, the two ministers reviewed the progress in wide-ranging areas of bilateral relations, including cross-border connectivity, economic and development partnership, cooperation in defence and security, power, energy, water resources and people-to-people exchanges.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of common interest.

They expressed commitment to further enhance their collaboration to promote sub-regional cooperation within the framework of BIMSTEC, IORA and BBIN.

Mahmud said it is essential to maintain political stability and peace for the sake of development and progress, and that is the issue getting priority during his ongoing bilateral visit to India.

He held a meeting with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on the first day of his visit.

After the discussion at Sardar Patel Bhavan, the Awami League Joint General Secretary paid floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's cremation ground and memorial square at Rajghat.

Talking to reporters, he said unprecedented development has been achieved in Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India has also made great progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There is no alternative to maintaining regional political stability and peace to maintain this development trend. We discussed in that direction," Mahmud said.

Foreign Minister Hasan also said there was a discussion about the rehabilitation of Rohingyas with full rights to their own country Myanmar, and they also discussed ways to work together on the ongoing situation in Myanmar.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India Md Mustafizur Rahman, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh High Commission were present.

The visit of Bangladesh's foreign minister to India is part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two countries and has enabled both sides to chart out the course of their forward-looking engagement during the new term of the Government in Bangladesh, according to the MEA.

The visit follows the bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit held in Uganda last month and has contributed to further strengthening of the traditional, long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Teesta, Ganges Water sharing treaty with India

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud emphasised on early conclusion of Teesta water sharing agreement aiming to strengthen water cooperation between Bangladesh and India.

He also stressed the renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty that will expire in 2026.

The issue of border killings was discussed during his bilateral meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House on his maiden bilateral trip to India as the foreign minister.

Both sides agreed to enhanced cooperation between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) and using non-lethal weapons to reduce border killing to zero.

Foreign Minister Mahmud requested his Indian counterpart to withdraw tariff and non-tariff barriers for Bangladesh's exports, as well as ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to Bangladesh for maintaining price stability, especially during Ramadan.

The two foreign ministers expressed satisfaction on the excellent bilateral relation that exists between Bangladesh and India.

They discussed key areas of mutual interests, expressing a commitment to strengthening collaboration across various areas.

They stressed the need for deeper and high quality cooperation in various sectors especially trade and commerce, connectivity, power, defence and security cooperation and water.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to collaborate further each other at sub-regional, regional and multilateral platform.

Mahmud thanked India for their cooperation and continued support in various sectors which resulted in a remarkable year of 2023 in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

He noted that a number of projects in promoting power sector cooperation and establishing connectivity were inaugurated by the two prime ministers.

The Indian External Affairs minister congratulated the Bangladesh Foreign Minister for conducting a very good and successful elections held last month.

Dr Jaishankar emphasised on regional connectivity and power sector cooperation.

He appreciated the government of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for socio-economic advancement during last 15 years.

The minister noted that Bangladesh and India should work together to fulfill the aspiration of the peoples of both countries.

He stressed devising ways and means of fast tracking LoC projects.

Both the foreign ministers discussed in details the evolving situation in Myanmar and its impact on the regional stability and repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

Bangladesh's foreign minister reiterated for India's support in the early repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

Both the foreign ministers expressed commitment to further enhance their collaboration to promote sub-regional cooperation within the framework of BIMSTEC, IORA and BBIN.

The foreign minister invited the External Affairs Minister of India to Dhaka for the next Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) Meeting at his earliest convenience.

Political Stability, Peace Must

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said it is essential to maintain political stability and peace for the sake of development and progress, and that is the issue getting priority during his ongoing bilateral visit to India.

Talking to reporters, he said unprecedented development has been achieved in Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India has also made great progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There is no alternative to maintaining regional political stability and peace to maintain this development trend. We discussed in that direction," Hasan Mahmud said.

Foreign Minister Hasan also said there was a discussion about the rehabilitation of Rohingyas with full rights to their own country Myanmar, and they also discussed ways to work together on the ongoing situation in Myanmar.

Greatest leaders Bangabandhu, Mahatma Gandhi inspiration for leaders around world: Hasan Mahmud

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud paid tribute to the Father of the Nation of India Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

The Foreign Minister noted that Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi are the two greatest leaders of the two countries and have been inspiration for the leaders around the world.

Mahatma Gandhi's conviction in the innate goodness of humanity and his unwavering faith in peace and non-violence as a force for change remain as relevant today as they were during India's freedom struggle.

Gandhi's historic visit to Noakhali in 1946 exemplified the extraordinary power of dialogue, empathy, and understanding, even in the most challenging of circumstances.

After the meeting, the Awami League Joint General Secretary paid floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's cremation ground and memorial square at Rajghat.

Not Becoming a One-party State

"Definitely, Bangladesh is not becoming a one-party state. We uphold the values of democracy. Bangladesh is a multi-party democracy," said the Foreign Minister.

The Foreign Minister made the remarks while responding to a question at an interactive session hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia.

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He said some leaders who are part of the BNP-Jamaat led alliance have the desire to turn Bangladesh "into Afghanistan" and they "cannot contribute to democracy."

The Foreign Minister said BNP-Jamaat alliance has always tried to disrupt the democratic journey and they even tried this time too. "But they failed in the past and this year too. They were not successful," he added.

Despite challenges, Hasan said, democracy in Bangladesh is doing better day by day.

He described the relations between Bangladesh and the US as cordial and expressed willingness to take the relations to a new height.

On the situation in Myanmar, the Foreign Minister said they should work together.

Responding to a question on inequality, he said data shows inequality is reducing in Bangladesh.

Mahmud is on his first bilateral visit to New Delhi at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar.

Describing the current state of relations between Bangladesh and India as a "golden chapter," he said the two sides are now giving highest priority to three aspects - enhancing mutual trust and confidence, promoting connectivity and ensuring all around economic cooperation.

"We are going through a golden chapter of our relationship. India-Bangladesh relationship is now a role model for the neighbourhood and democracy today," he said at the Vivekananda International Foundation, at a separate event.

Foreign Minister Hasan said India stood beside Bangladesh and remains beside Bangladesh to continue the democratic trend in the country by overcoming anti-election domestic and foreign conspiracies.

He said bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India have reached unique heights in the past years.

Both countries will work shoulder to shoulder to take it forward, he added.

Director of the Foundation Dr Arvind Gupta, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman and former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri, among others, were present.