New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs stated on Tuesday that it has no fresh updates regarding the participation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Addressing questions during a media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal offered no immediate confirmation when asked about the Bangladesh leader’s potential visit.
“I don’t have any update,” Jaiswal stated, leaving the leader’s attendance unconfirmed for the time being.
However, Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing bilateral ties with Bangladesh, characterising a recent high-level diplomatic interaction in Dhaka as a constructive step forward in strengthening people-to-people connections.
The MEA Spokesperson provided details on the recent engagement involving India’s High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
“Regarding the meeting of our High Commissioner in Bangladesh, he paid a courtesy call on the President of Bangladesh, where they talked about various aspects of India-Bangladesh relations, our shared ties, and our people-to-people ties, and how we want to take this particular relationship forward in the days ahead,” Jaiswal said.
This comes as Bangladesh President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday emphasised the prompt resolution of pending issues between Bangladesh and India through discussion to make the existing relationship between the two countries stronger and more sustainable, during a courtesy call paid by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, at Bangabhaban.
“The President stated that reaching fair and mutually acceptable solutions to matters of shared interest would further enhance trust and confidence among the people of both nations. Noting that the management of common rivers is directly linked to the lives and livelihoods of the people in both countries, the President urged India to take effective steps toward the fair sharing of common river waters, including the Ganges and Teesta”, Bangabhaban said in a statement.
High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi informed the President that positive measures were being taken by his government in this regard.
The President mentioned that Bangladesh accords special importance to its relationship with India as its closest neighbour and a key trade and development partner.
Earlier last month, the MEA spokesperson had informed that Bangladesh’s request for extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being “examined as part of our established processes.”
Answering queries during a regular media briefing, he said India desires forward-looking relations with Bangladesh based on mutuality of interest and reciprocity.
“Let me say that India desires positive, constructive and forward-looking relations with Bangladesh based on mutuality of interest and reciprocity. Our position on the press conference by the former Prime Minister needs no repetition. On the issue of extraditions, our consistent position has been, and you’re well aware of that, that these requests are being examined as part of our established processes,” Jaiswal said.
He was asked about Bangladesh’s conditions for a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India.
Answering a query on the invitation to Tarique Rahman for a visit to India, Jaiswal said “on this particular matter, when I have an update, I will surely share it with you… We have extended a cordial invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit India”.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, said that officials from the two countries had been in communication for several weeks regarding a possible bilateral visit by PM Rahman to New Delhi.
Bangladesh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim had said that discussions on the proposed visit were continuing, but had been affected by Hasina’s virtual interaction in New Delhi on August 5. (ANI)