‘India is our friend’, says Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Before her ceremonial welcome, she was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where the duo shook hands and posed for the photograph.

After her welcome, Hasina said, “India is our friend. Whenever I come to India, it is a matter of happiness for me, especially because we always remember India’s contribution during our liberation struggle. We have a friendly relationship, we are cooperating with each other.”

The leaders of the two countries are expected to hold extensive talks, after which the two sides are likely to unveil measures to boost cooperation in the areas of defence, trade and river-water sharing.

Hasina will also call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

On Thursday, Hasina is scheduled to visit Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who arrived here on Monday on four-day visit to India, was received by Union Minister Darshan Zardosh at the airport.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, “PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh has been warmly received by Minister of State for Railways and Textiles Darshan Jardosh on her arrival in New Delhi. The visit will further strengthen the multi-faceted ties between the two countries.

Hasina’s delegation includes Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Railway Minister Mohd Nurul Islam Suzanne, Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Economic Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Masiur AKM Rahman.

She had last visited New Delhi in October 2019.

India and Bangladesh finalised the text of the agreement on the interim sharing of waters of the Kushiyara river only last month. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is likely to be signed on Tuesday, the text of which was finalised at the 38th ministerial meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) held in New Delhi on August 25.

In March last year, Prime Minister Modi visited Bangladesh to attend events organised to mark the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh’s liberation struggle.