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Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said that despite various “problems” and “challenges” in Bangladesh-India relations, there is no issue that cannot be resolved if Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sit together for talks.
He also said there was no need to rush Tarique’s proposed visit to New Delhi, stressing that the two sides should be given adequate time to prepare for the engagement.
Trivedi made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a meeting with Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
On Tarique’s possible visit to India, Trivedi said both sides were continuing their efforts and that the two prime ministers and their teams needed to be given sufficient time.
“There are all kinds of problems and challenges. It would be wrong to think there will be no challenges. But when we sit together, there is no question that cannot be resolved,” he said.
He said the process would move forward at the appropriate time.
Trivedi had delivered a similar message a day earlier, saying India’s invitation to Tarique remained open and there was no need to hurry. He described the overall situation as positive and said the visit would take place when the timing was convenient for both sides.
The Indian envoy also stressed the importance of people-to-people contacts between the two countries, including cooperation in water, cricket, football, trade, poetry, theatre, films and music.
He said people in both countries were interested in maintaining closer relations and that greater mutual interdependence between the two peoples was positive.
Asked about a possible visit to Dhaka by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Trivedi avoided commenting.
Meanwhile, Minister Ahmed Azam Khan said his meeting with the Indian high commissioner was simply a courtesy call.
Asked about reports concerning plans to build a fountain at Suhrawardy Udyan instead of a structure commemorating the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the surrender of Pakistani forces, the minister said the issue had been “misrepresented” in the media.
