Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma on Saturday said that connectivity served as a driver of New Delhi’s growing relations with Dhaka.
He was speaking at a seminar on “Development of Chattogram through Enhanced Connectivity: Prospects and Challenges” in Chittagong on Saturday.
Research organization Unnayan Shamannay in collaboration with Bangladesh-Bharat Itihash O Oitijjo Parishad organized the seminar with former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Atiur Rahman as its chair.
Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma emphasized the long-term significance of connectivity in facilitating closer economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties.
With a contiguous geography and shared history and culture, he said, raising the scope and quality of connectivity is a common aspiration, as well as a driver of India’s growing partnership with Bangladesh.
He pointed out that the future links between the two countries will be shaped by multimodal connectivity, including through road, rail, inland waterways, coastal shipping, as well as energy and digital connectivity.
He emphasized the need to transform the geographical proximity between India and Bangladesh into new economic opportunities through robust connectivity initiatives.
The high commissioner described the India- Bangladesh relations as rooted in the shared sacrifices of the Liberation War of 1971.
He underlined that the connectivity initiatives between the two countries are also guided by that same spirit of mutual empathy and interdependence centered on the welfare and well-being of the countries’ people and future generations.
Senior government officials, top business leaders as well as a number of scholars, experts, and media persons attended the seminar.
Connectivity between the countries received a boost with both prime ministers – Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi – announcing the revival of all pre-1965 links which were closed during the Indo-Pak war by Pakistan as Bangladesh was East Pakistan then.
Source : DhakaTribune
