FROM NEW DELHI: Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali went to Bangladesh High Commission to India directly from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday noon on a four-day official visit.
The minister hold a closed-door meeting with Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tarek A Karim and Prime Minister’s chief secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder till 4:00pm as a part of a homework for the 3rd BD-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting.
HC sources confirmed banglanews that the Bangladesh Government would try to gain through reconciliation and would show friendly gestures to the new government of India.
The incumbent AL government is deeming this visit of Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali to India as a vital one.
Politicians and media from both the countries were pondering over the relationship of AL government with Modi’s government as it is not a secret matter that AL has a special relationship with Indian National Congress and BJP has a chopper and pumpkin like relationship with INC.
But everything seemed positive after the taking over the India’s Prime Minister’s Office by Narendra Modi. Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury participated in the initiation of Modi as Prime Minister.
He also sent his Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh. She carried with her the message of friendship as well as Modi’s invitation to Sheikh Hasina to visit India.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali also has carried with him an invitation letter from Sheikh Hasina to India Premier Narendra Modi to visit Bangladesh as a part of its wishes to continue the smoother relationship.
New Delhi sources said Modi is also interested in visiting Bangladesh but not in an empty hand. There would be nothing amazing if Modi visits Bangladesh during the Independence Day of Bangladesh, on December 16.
Though Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali put emphasis on Teesta Water Sharing Agreement and Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) at Shahjalal International Airport at Dhaka while leaving the country, the main focus will be the meeting of Hasina-Modi meeting, in the sideline of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and ensuring both Premiers mutual visit to both countries.
Besides, Bangladesh will raise the border killing issue, including not using lethal weapons by BSF, in the JCC meeting in a bid to reduce the figure to nought.
Both the parties would discuss about fruitful exploitation of ‘Blue Economy’, sources said.
Sources also said Bangladesh will extend its supporting hand to thwart recent threat by Al-Qaeda to South Asian countries especially towards India in the meeting with Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor to Narendra Modi on Friday noon.
A source also said in spite of consensus in various issues, the main headache of India is its security. Recently, Bangladesh declared that no one can use its land against its neighbours.
As a proof of the announcement Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the elite force of the country, has recovered huge amount of arms from the Satchhari border area in Satkhira district.
The foreign minister is scheduled to meet India’s water resources minister Uma Bharati at 11:30am on Friday.
He will also pay courtesy call on India president Pranab Mukherjee at 12:30pm, national security advisor Ajit Doval at 2:30pm and prime minister Narendra Modi at 4:00pm on the day.
He is expected to meet India’s finance minister Arun Jaitley during the visit.
Foreign ministers of two countries will attend the JCC meeting at 11:30am on Saturday at Neheru Bhaban in New Delhi.
Mahmood Ali will also meet India’s Rajya Sabha (Upper House) opposition leader Golam Nabi Azad at 4:30pm on the day.
According to the high commission source, after the JCC meeting, Bangladesh foreign minister on Saturday will leave New Delhi to attend UN general assembly in New York.
** JCC meeting Saturday, FM in New Delhi
BDST: 2100 HRS, SEP 18, 2014
