Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday, congratulating him on his appointment.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed a range of bilateral issues as well as regional and international developments, including the recently concluded 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
State Minister Humaiun Kobir reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to engaging with India in a forward-looking and mutually respectful manner on issues of common interest and for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
The meeting came amid ongoing efforts by Dhaka and New Delhi to strengthen bilateral engagement following a period of strained relations. Bangladesh has recently emphasised the need to reset ties with India through regular dialogue and constructive engagement. Kobir had earlier said that Bangladesh wanted to move beyond the nature of relations maintained over the past period and establish a more balanced relationship based on mutual respect.
Trivedi has also repeatedly stressed the importance of dialogue between the two countries. On Tuesday, he said there was no need to rush Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India, adding that the visit would take place at an appropriate and mutually convenient time.
The latest meeting also follows several recent diplomatic engagements between Dhaka and New Delhi on bilateral, regional and international issues. Both sides have previously discussed ways to expand people-to-people contacts and address outstanding issues through regular communication.
The Bangladesh-India relationship has in recent months involved discussions on trade, connectivity, energy, water-sharing and security, alongside sensitive political and diplomatic issues. Dhaka has also sought India’s cooperation in preventing activities from Indian territory that it believes could create instability in Bangladesh.
The meeting between Trivedi and Kobir is expected to contribute to continued diplomatic engagement between the two neighbouring countries as both sides seek to advance cooperation on areas of mutual interest.
