Shringla describes his Bangladesh visit as 'very satisfactory'

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Wednesday described his Bangladesh trip as "very satisfactory" as he wrapped up a two-day visit here during which he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and held wide-ranging talks with his counterpart on bolstering bilateral ties as well as on the supply of COVID-19 vaccine to Dhaka once it is developed.

Shringla, who arrived here on Tuesday on his second visit to Bangladesh after he took office as the foreign secretary, held talks with Masud Bin Momen, a day after meeting Prime Minister Hasina.

"I have a very satisfactory visit, a very short visit,” Shringla told reporters after the meeting with his counterpart.

He said India would make the potential COVID-19 vaccine available for Bangladesh on a priority basis once it was produced in partnership with its developer UK’s Oxford University, who appeared to be a frontrunner in the global race for developing the inoculation.

"When the (COVID) vaccine is developed, friends, partners and neighbours will get it without any saying…for us Bangladesh is always a priority,” Shringla said.

In a statement, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said Shringla visited Dhaka to “convey Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s message aiming at further strengthening the ties of friendship between the two countries.” "During the one and half hour long meeting held in an exceptionally warm, frank and cordial environment, both sides discussed the wide ranging areas of ongoing bilateral cooperation, with particular focus on ways to address issues arising out of the COVID -19 situation,” it said.

Shringla on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Hasina at her official residence during which they discussed security-related issues of mutual interest and revival of the economy in a post-COVID-19 world.

Shringla, who was earlier India's High Commissioner here, said Prime Minister Modi sent him to Dhaka to carry forward the excellent India-Bangladesh relations even during the pandemic situation.

“Reason I came here is that our prime minister felt during COVID time there is not much contact, but the relationship (India-Bangladesh) must continue,” Shringla said.

"We must continue to move forward towards our strong bilateral relations and I came primarily to look at that point,” he said.

Shringla "reiterated that Bangladesh comes first for India, in Prime Minister Modi’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy," the statement said.

He expressed deep gratitude for the kind gesture of Prime Minister Hasina to grant him an audience in spite of her not having met any foreign dignitaries since the start of the COVID pandemic, it added.

"We offered any cooperation that India may require regarding vaccine trials...Bangladesh is ready to cooperate,” Masud said, adding that Indian side took it “positively”.

He said the two sides also discussed measures and cooperation between them regarding economic recovery during and post pandemic period.

Both sides agreed to convene the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) between the two countries at the level of Foreign Ministers at the earliest, as JCC provides an excellent platform to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries with an action-oriented focus, the statement said.

Masud said both sides agreed to introduce an air travel bubble during this pandemic situation for allowing treatment aspirants and businessmen to travel between the two neighboring countries.

Under the air bubble mechanism air connectivity will be restored between only Bangladesh and India where no third country will be involved that means the airlines will not take any transit passengers.

They also discussed the latest situation of the Rohingya refugees. India reiterated its position on safe, secure and sustainable Rohingya repatriation.

Nearly one million Rohingya Muslims fled a crackdown by the Myanmar's military in 2017 in Rakhine state and are living in camps in Bangladesh.

Masud "conveyed Bangladesh’s greater expectation from India as a member of the UNSC, to play a more meaningful role for a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis, including their early repatriation to Myanmar,” the statement said.

"The visit showed the commitment of both sides to take the relationship more forward,” Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Das Ganguly told a select media group on Tuesday night.

Masud reiterated Bangladesh’s appreciation for the assistance of medicines and other medical items proactively provided by India for containing the pandemic.

Indian side was also requested to reopen travel through Benapole-Petrapole land port which has been halted in the wake of the pandemic.

Masud requested Shringla to expedite the return of the Tablig members of Bangladesh who were impacted by the lockdown in India.

Both sides discussed firming up plans for organising joint events to celebrate Mujib Borsho or the birth centenary of Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh, and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Independence as well as establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Both foreign secretaries agreed that greater attention is required to accord more impetus to the development projects in Bangladesh under the Indian Lines of Credit.

Bangladesh expressed "deep concern" at the killings at the Indo-Bangladesh border by BSF/ Indian nationals during the first half of this year.

The Indian side said the issue will be discussed in detail at the DG level talks between BGB and BSF to be hosted by Dhaka next month.