NEW ELHI, Sep 28: Riva Ganguly Das the outgoing Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and personally handed her over a letter from the prime minister Narendra Modi wishing her on her birthday.
Das, a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, also gifted her a rare portrait of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fondly known as Father of Bangladesh. The portrait was made when Mujibur Rahman visited India in 1972.
Wishing Sheikh Hasina on her birthday, Narendra Modi wrote, “Your visionary leadership has helped Bangladesh achieved immense social and economic transformation and equally your contribution to our bilateral relations has been extremely impressive.”
The press secretary of Bangladesh prime minister after the meeting issued a statement “Prime Minister emphasized the need for better cooperation with neighbouring countries for the welfare of people of this region”.
A tweet from Indian high commission reads “India looks forward to 50th-anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations and 50th anniversary of the Liberation War in 2021.” The tweet further mentions “India attaches utmost importance to India Bangladesh relationship & that India’s Act East policy begins with Bangladesh.”
Hailing Bangladesh’s economic development, Das said she was fortunate to serve India in Bangladesh twice witnessing its remarkable growth.
Das also paid a farewell visit and met Abdul Hamid President Bangladesh and Tarique Ahmed Siddique Major General (Retd.) the security advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
President fondly recalled his visits to India and said both countries should use more opportunities for deeper cooperation & that India-Bangladesh relationship could only strengthen further.
Das is being replaced, by Vikram Kumar Doraiswamy, a 1992 batch IFS officer, currently holding the charge of additional secretary in-charge of International Organisations and Summits in Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Das is due to take over as the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Meanwhile Dr S Jaishankar the, External Affairs Minister India and A K Abdul Momen Foreign Minister of Bangladesh are virtually meeting tomorrow for a Joint Consultative Commission (JCC). The key, points for discussion include India backed LoC projects, connectivity initiatives and energy pipes. Finalisation of Mujib’s birth centenary and Bangladesh’s 50th Independence Day anniversary celebrations are also in the agenda.
(Venkatesh Iyer)