‘Will take relations to new height’: Indian envoy

Indian High Commissioner-designate to Bangladesh Harsh Bardhan Shringla said today he would work to take bilateral relations between the two countries to a new height.

After his arrival in Dhaka this afternoon, the newly appointed diplomat told reporters that he would also focus on implementing agreed issues between the two countries’ top leadership.

He said his mandate was to “deepen and strengthen” India’s bilateral relations with Bangladesh.

Asked about his priority, Shringla said both the countries leadership has already taken many “very intensive and flourishing decisions” that need to be “implemented as soon as possible”.

“So it is important for us to start implementation and consolidation of the decisions already taken. I think that is the first task,” he said.

Shringla, who served as Indian Ambassador to Thailand, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:50pm by a Thai Airways flight.

The diplomat, earlier at a farewell meeting with Bangladesh Ambassador in Bangkok Saida Muna Tasneem on January 6, expressed his firm resolve to take India’s multifaceted bilateral relations with close neighbour Bangladesh to ‘new depths and heights’ with a special focus on implementation of key agreements and decisions adopted between the two countries.

In the course of his diplomatic career spanning over 30 years, Shringla has held a variety of positions in New Delhi and in Indian Missions in Paris, Hanoi and Tel Aviv.

He has also served as Minister/Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York and as Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Durban, South Africa.

Former Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran departed from Bangladesh on the completion of his diplomatic assignment on December 19.

The Indian Deputy High Commissioner Dr Adarsh Swaika is now functioning as the acting High Commissioner of India.