Potentials of Indo-Bangla ties yet to be fully tapped: State minister

Though Bangladesh and India are now enjoying an extensive relationship, challenges towards bilateral cooperation have to be acknowledged, said policymakers, calling for a roadmap to take the relationship to a new height.  

"The two countries are still not fully able to realise all the potentials of the relationship, although the neighbours have resolved many long-pending land and maritime disputes," Md Shahriar Alam, state minister for Foreign Affairs, told an event titled "Bangladesh – India Relations: Confluence of Ideologies and Evolving Perspectives" Wednesday.

"Bangladesh today has become India's largest development partner in the world, the largest trade partner in the region and the countries are enjoying the most extensive government-to-government relations. On the 50th anniversary of Dhaka-New Delhi ties, it is the need of ours to introspect the strength and retrospect the mistakes," he added in the seminar organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).

Mentioning the challenges, he said, "The death toll of Bangladeshis at the border has become a major strain in bilateral relations, there is no denial. And that is one of our top agenda when we meet at any level. The water sharing of 54 trans-boundary rivers is another issue of debate in the Bangladesh-India relations."

He urged the civil society of both countries to play their due role in projecting achievements of the relationship and showcase the relationship as a "role model" for neighbourhood diplomacy.

Speakers at the event said that the mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and strong political goodwill of both the countries contributed substantially to the blossoming of friendship over the years.

"The mutual relationship between Bangladesh and India is more than the trade, commerce and connectivity, it has only been forged in blood and tested at times in the last 50 years. Now, we have a vibrant relationship, but we can do much more," said Arvind Gupta, director of The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), India.

Sreeradha Dutta, senior fellow of the foundation, said both countries have to look forward.

Meanwhile, a book titled "India-Bangladesh Bonhomie at 50: 1971 and the Present", edited by Sreeradha Datta, was launched at the event. 

BIISS Chairman Ambassador Kazi Imtiaz Hossain chaired the session.

Among others, Director General of BIISS Major General Mohammad Maksudur Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies (BFRS) ASM Shamsul Arefin, and BIISS Research Director Mahfuz Kabir spoke at the programme.