Bangladesh and India have decided to develop a forward looking roadmap for bilateral cooperation to make the partnership irreversible.
The decision was taken at the fifth Joint Consultative Commission held in New Delhi Friday (Feb 8).
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen led the Bangladesh side while Indian side was led by his counterpart Sushma Swaraj.
A joint press release was issued after the meeting.
“In particular, they desired that partnership-building efforts should be enhanced in a manner commensurate with commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation,” the press release said.
The minister reviewed ongoing cooperation including the implementation of decisions taken during the visits of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Modi, as well as at the last meeting of JCC in October 2017, in Dhaka.
New areas
The minister welcomed the fact that the relationship was now broadening to include new and high technology areas for partnership, such as space, nuclear energy, IT and electronics.
They expressed satisfaction that both countries are working closer than ever before in every sector, from security and border management to mutually-beneficial trade and investment flows, power and energy, river water sharing, development partnership, transport connectivity, culture, people-to-people contacts.
MoUs
In the meeting three memorandum of understandings were signed to further strengthen the existing multifaceted cooperation between the two countries
These are MoU on mid-career training of 1800 Bangladesh civil servants, MoU between AYUSH and the Ministry of Health of Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of medicinal plants, and MoU between Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh and Central Bureau of Investigation of India.
An MoU was also signed between Hiranandani Group and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority to facilitate investments in the Indian Economic Zone in Mongla.
Rohingya
Both the ministers discussed about Rohingya issue and Bangladesh sought Indian support in this regard.
“The External Affairs Minister expressed appreciation for the humanitarian gesture of Bangladesh in supporting a large number of displaced persons from the Rakhine region of Myanmar and assured the Foreign Minister of India’s continued support for safe, speedy and sustainable return of the displaced persons to Myanmar.”
Momen conveyed the gratitude of Bangladesh for the humanitarian assistance provided by India to help meet the requirements of the displaced persons from Myanmar.
The two ministers agreed on the need to expedite safe and sustainable repatriation of the displaced people from Rakhine State of Myanmar.
Momen went to India on Wednesday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday.
He also met former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and Deputy Leader of the Opposition at Rajya Shaba Anand Sharma.
The foreign minister is scheduled to return Dhaka Saturday (Feb 9).

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