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Wishing Bangladesh well for the upcoming national election, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday said the sense of neighbourlyness in the region will grow once things settle down.
"Right now, they (Bangladesh) are heading for elections. We wish them well in that elections. We hope that once things settle down, the sense of neighbourlyness in this region will grow," he said.
The Indian External Affairs Minister made the remarks while responding to a question at an interactive session in in Chennai, India.
Highlighting the growth of India, Jaishankar said if India grows, all its neighbours will grow with them.
"We will have many more opportunities. I think that in a sense is the message that I took to Bangladesh," said Jaishankar who visited Bangladesh recently.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently personally written a letter as BNP Chairperson and three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was laid to rest beside her husband and late President Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital on Wednesday afternoon.
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, who represented the government and people of India at the funeral of Khaleda Zia, handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to BNP Acting Chairman and Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman.
On arrival in Dhaka, Jaishankar met Tarique Rahman. “(I’ve) handed over to him a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (I’ve) conveyed deepest condolences on behalf of the government and people of India,” said the Indian Minister.
Jaishankar expressed the confidence that Khaleda Zia’s vision and values will guide the development of Dhaka-Delhi partnership.
BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma were, among others, present at the meeting.
Jaishankar spent four hours in Dhaka, said Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah who is currently visiting Dhaka.
He said Bangladesh and India would look forward to script a new chapter in their ties, in shared interests driven by pragmatism and mutual interdependence, as indeed briefly discussed with BNP Acting Chairman.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma were present at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to receive the Indian Minister.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow at the death of Khaleda Zia and hoped that her vision and legacy will continue to guide Dhaka-Delhi partnership.
"I recall my warm meeting with her in Dhaka in 2015. We hope that her vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership," he said.
Highlighting the importance of stability and inclusive elections in Bangladesh, India on December 26 said it wants close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, which is rooted in the liberation struggle and strengthened through various development and people-to-people initiatives.
“We are in favour of peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and credible elections conducted in a peaceful atmosphere,” Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told reporters in New Delhi.
Responding to a question during a weekly briefing on Friday, Jaiswal said they support free, fair and inclusive elections in Bangladesh, and the return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from London should be seen in that context.
In response to another question, the MEA spokesperson said their point on Bangladesh has been very clear and consistent all throughout.
“India stands for strengthening our ties with the people of Bangladesh. We favor peace and stability in Bangladesh and also our point of view on elections, you are aware. We stand for free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh, which is to be held in a peaceful atmosphere. So that is where we are. We stand for fair, free and inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh,” he said.