LOOKEAST REPORT |
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has congratulated her Bangladesh counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on his re–election in the 11th national parliamentary polls, an official release said.
“Sushma called Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali yesterday to congratulate him on his election victory,” it added.
■ Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated three development projects in Bangladesh through a video conferencing, September, 2018 | Archive
Sushma Swaraj has said the government of India will continue to have cooperation with Bangladesh as a close neighbour.
Sushma hoped to work together with Ali in future, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Ali thanked Sushma for the call, expressing the hope that both the countries would continue to work together for the benefit of the two peoples.
Both ministers co–chair the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) to coordinate sectorial collaboration between the two countries.
Projects include a 500 MW additional power supply from India to Bangladesh through the existing Baharampur–Bheramara interconnection, the Akhaura–Agartala rail link and the rehabilitation of the Kulaura–Shahbazpur section of Bangladesh Railways
Meanwhile Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier told that leaders of neighbouring countries should be like neighbours who meet and visit each other frequently without any elaborate protocols. Last September when he jointly inaugurating three India funded projects in Bangladesh through a video conference.
Modi, along with Sheikh Hasina, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, jointly inaugurated three projects in Bangladesh.
The projects include a 500 MW additional power supply from India to Bangladesh through the existing Baharampur–Bheramara interconnection, the Akhaura–Agartala rail link and the rehabilitation of the Kulaura–Shahbazpur section of Bangladesh Railways.
Modi said that with the completion of Baharampur–Bheramara power supply project, 1.16 GW of power is now being supplied from India to Bangladesh.
The Indian Prime Minister said that Akhaura–Agartala rail connectivity will provide another link in the cross–border connectivity between the two countries.
Modi appreciated Sheikh Hasina’s development goals of transforming Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021, and a developed country by 2041. ■
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