Dhaka: India will resolve all irritants in ties with Bangladesh with sincerity, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday.
On the last day of her Bangladesh visit, Swaraj lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the opening of the sprawling new chancery complex of the Indian High Commission.
During the ceremony, she also launched 15 development projects being funded by India in Bangladesh, which officials said have been planned as per the country’s geographical spread, socio-economic benefits and priorities.
The development projects, worth about USD 8.7 million, are in the areas of education, health care, information technology, water supply, and social welfare.
They include installation of 11 water treatment plants in southwestern coastline of Pirozpur to benefit some 150,000 people, 36 community clinics, and reconstruction of Dhaka’s historic Ramna Kali Temple which was destroyed by invading Pakistani troops in the 1971 liberation war.
“India is following a policy of neighbours first, and among the neighbours Bangladesh is foremost,” Swaraj said at the function.
She added that the relations between the neighbours are now outstanding, and that both countries are working to resolve these irritants in the spirit of “friendly relations and with right intention”.
The EAM did not specify the nature of the issues, but the water sharing of common rivers, particularly the Teesta, has long been pending between the two neighbours.
“I can assure you we (both countries) will solve all irritants with sincerity,” she said.
The minister maintained that Bangladesh comes first among all of India’s neighbours as part of the neighbourhood policy adopted by her government.
Swaraj arrived in Bangladesh yesterday for the annual meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission with her counterpart AH Mahmood Ali.
After talks with Ali, she had said, “India attaches the utmost importance to its relations with Bangladesh. Our partnership today touches upon virtually all areas of human endeavour. Our relations are based on fraternal ties and are reflective of an all-encompassing partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust and understanding that goes far beyond a strategic partnership.”
The EAM had added, “We are both determined to protect our societies from the threat of ideologies of hate, violence and terror by adopting a zero tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach in fighting violent extremism and terrorism at all levels.”
” We are satisfied with progress achieved in areas such as trade and investment, security, connectivity, border management, power, energy, shipping, people to people exchanges, to name a few,” she had further said.
Swaraj returned to New Delhi today wrapping up her two- day Dhaka visit, her second since assuming office in 2014.
(With PTI inputs)
Source: Zee News