India and Bangladesh began Foreign Secretary-level talks here on Monday after over two years. The discussions will cover trade, transportation, border and security issues.
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon leads a four-member delegation while the Bangladesh team is led by Towhid Hussain, acting Foreign Secretary. Sources told The Hindu that the two-day talks began on a positive note.
Mr. Menon told reporters at the airport here on Sunday that he intended to hold substantive discussions on bilateral issues and explore possibilities of taking the ties forward. He hoped to take the relations on an “irreversible higher trajectory.”
He said: “As a friend and close neighbour, India is deeply interested in Bangladesh’s peaceful, democratic and stable development. India wishes Bangladesh continued economic progress and prosperity. We intend to explore how we can further strengthen our bilateral cooperation, and also discuss other matters of mutual interest.”
A Bangladesh Foreign Ministry release said the two sides would have “wide-ranging discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations.”
An opportunity
“The government is of the view that the visit of the Indian Foreign Secretary will be yet another important opportunity to carry on the process of constructive and forward-looking engagement between the two countries,” the release said.
Besides senior officials from both countries, Bangladesh High Commissioner Liakat Ali Chowdhury and Indian High Commissioner here Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty were present.
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