A special lecture on Bangladesh's Foreign Policy was held in India focusing on various aspects of the relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) arranged the programme at Sapru House, New Delhi on Tuesday (August 23).
Former Indian Foreign Secretary and G-20 Chief Coordinator of India Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla presided over the event while ICWA Director General Ambassador Vijay Thakur Singh made the opening remarks.
Former Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Shahidul Haque delivered a special lecture on Bangladesh's Foreign Policy.
The special lecture came in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh-India relationship, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming India visit and the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.
Terming the current era as ‘Sonali Adhyay’ speakers in the programme said, 50 years of relationship between Bangladesh and India but true potential realized only in last 10 years.
They said Bangladesh expelled Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) and declared zero-tolerance on terrorism.
India also extended duty-free access to its market to Bangladesh under SAFTA. India invested US 10 billion through concessional lines of credit, they added.
The lecture said Bangladesh has emerged as India’s 5th largest trading partner ($ 16 billion) and India's only country in Asia where Bangladesh’s exports have reached US$ 200 billion.
Bangladesh has experienced over 6 per cent growth in the last 10 years and is now a middle-income country.
Joint flood management and work towards sustainable solutions to address pollution of rivers; management of fisheries reserves, Sundarbans and other cross-border forest areas, speakers said.
They also said third-party supply of power to Bangladesh through India was facilitated by Power Trade Policy.
Both the countries enhanced cooperation in BIMSTEC and BBIN enhanced private sector investments in both countries, discussed in the lecture.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
