Hasina, Modi to work for welfare of two nations

Bangladesh and India yesterday agreed to continue their joint endeavours to better the lives of their people as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held talks with her counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 4th Bimstec Summit.

“The two prime ministers said they want to carry on their joint endeavours for changing the fate of the people of the two countries,” Bangladesh PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told a media briefing after the talks.

The meeting took place at Kathmandu's hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza in the afternoon after the opening session of the Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec).

Ihsanul said the Bangladesh prime minister expressed gratitude to India for its support to her country's Liberation War and development.

“We want to carry forward this friendship to a new height,” she said.

The two leaders, the press secretary said, expressed optimism about the future of the seven-nation Bimstec.

“Both the prime minister said they want to continue the mutual cooperation which they expected will benefit the other Bimstec member nations as well,” the press secretary said.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali, PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque were present at the meeting.

In the evening, the Bangladesh PM and other Bimstec leaders attended a gala dinner hosted by Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, Modi later posted a Twitter message about his meeting with Hasina.

“Held talks with PM Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the Bimstec Summit in Kathmandu. We reviewed the full range of India-Bangladesh relations and ways to boost economic as well as cultural relations,” he tweeted.