India seeks quick implementation of projects under LOC

India on Tuesday stressed the need for expedited implementation of the projects funded by lines of credits of the country in Bangladesh.

India also wanted holding a meeting of the joint consultative commission led by the foreign ministers of the two countries at the earliest to facilitate the quick implementation of the projects.

Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla made the requests in this regard in an unscheduled meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday evening in Dhaka, government officials said.

He called on the prime minister at her official residence Ganabhaban after waiting for about five hours at the hotel where he is staying, officials from both sides confirmed.

‘She has mostly lent her ear,’ an official said without giving any details of the meeting that lasted for about an hour.

The prime minister has asked the Indian official to extend support to Bangladesh for expedited repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingya people of Myanmar to their home in Rakhine.

Shringla also expressed Indian intent to extend support for improving post-COVID-19 economic situation in Bangladesh, cooperation in tackling pandemic, including getting vaccine and creating special air travel facilities for business people and government officials of Bangladesh, Indian high commissioner Riva Ganguly Das told journalists in a briefing.

The Indian foreign secretary was scheduled to brief a select group of people, including some media outlets, about the visit at about 7:30pm. But the briefing was also deferred after the meeting with the prime minister started late.

He, however, did not finally attend the briefing.

Government officials familiar with the process said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs requested a meeting for Shringla with the Bangladesh prime minister to take place on Tuesday.

There was an informal communication between Bangladesh and Indian sides about a possibility of holding the meeting at 3:00pm on Tuesday.

Shringla was, however, waiting at a hotel, his place of residence during the tour.

He left the hotel for Ganabhaban at about 7:30pm and the meeting finally started at about 8:00pm, officials said.

Prime minister’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim, however, told reporters that there was no schedule for the said call on of the Indian foreign secretary with the prime minister at 3:00pm.

Bangladesh counterpart Masud Bin Momen would hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart on Wednesday afternoon over lunch at a hotel where the visiting dignitary was residing.

The Bangladesh side is likely to discuss barriers in India on export from Bangladesh and cooperation in water sector and strategies to manage COVID-19 pandemic situation, among other issues.

‘There are barriers at the state-level of India on trade (export) from Bangladesh, although the central authorities of India were supportive and was willing to facilitate our export,’ foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen said at his office on Tuesday. 

They would take stock of engagements on bilateral relations as there were attempts to taint it by a section of Indian media by presenting fabricated reports and pictures of Bangladesh dignitaries including prime minister Sheikh Hasina, he said.  

Shringla reached Dhaka ‘to discuss and take forward cooperation on matters of mutual interest,’ Indian external affairs ministry said in a single sentence press release after his arrival on Tuesday.

It is Shringla’s second visit as foreign secretary, taking place after the five and a half months of his first visit in March.

The visit is taking place amid reports of China and Pakistan making an effort to improve bilateral relations with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Friday condemned a disinformation campaign launched by three Indian web portals involving top Bangladesh dignitaries and institutions.

Several web portals based in India’s North Eastern region have published ‘false and baseless articles and rumours’ against prime minister, ministers, advisers, military and intelligence agencies of Bangladesh, the deputy high commission said in a press release.

‘We understand that these web portals, namely theeasternlink.com, nenow.in and lookeast.in, are operated by or under the auspices of a discredited Indian journalist with a prior track record of disseminating false information about Bangladesh,’ it said without mentioning the name of the person.

Shringla was immediate past Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net