New Delhi
India “observed all protocols, agreements” with regard to security measures, fencing: MEA
India on Monday conveyed to Bangladesh that it observed all “protocols and agreements” between the two governments and border forces with regard to security measures along the borders, including on fencing.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh acting High Commissioner Md Nural Islam to the South Block and conveyed the message.
The development came a day after Bangladesh ‘summoned’ Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and conveyed deep concern during a meeting at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday over the recent activities of the BSF of India along the Bangladesh-India border.
India reiterated its commitment to ensuring a crime-free border by effectively addressing the challenges of cross-border criminal activities, smuggling, movement of criminals and trafficking.
Barbed wire fencing, border lighting, installation of technical devices and cattle fences are measures for securing the border, according to the MEA.
India conveyed its expectation that Bangladesh will implement all earlier understandings and that there will a cooperative approach to combating cross-border crimes.
On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin called upon the government of India to advise all the authorities concerned in India to refrain from “any provocative actions” that could escalate tensions along the shared border.
“We have an understanding with regard to fencing the border for security. Our two border guard enforcements - BSF and BGB - have been in communication in this regard,” the High Commissioner told reporters in his statement after the meeting that lasted over half an hour.
Read more: Bangladesh urges India to avoid border provocations
Verma expressed the hope that the understandings that the two border forces have will be implemented in a cooperative approach in combating the crimes along the border.
The High Commissioner said he met the Foreign Secretary to discuss India's commitment to ensuring a crime-free border and effectively addressing the challenges of smuggling and trafficking.
The Foreign Secretary stressed that such activities particularly the unauthorised attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by BSF, have caused tensions and disturbances along the border.
He said that the construction of barbed-wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The Foreign Secretary hoped that the upcoming BGB-BSF DG level talks would be able to discuss the matter at length.
The India-Bangladesh border, one of the longest international borders in the world, has often been a point of contention, with incidents ranging from border security issues to the movement of people.
1 week ago
Hasina’s Extradition: Dhaka to write again to remind after certain time
Bangladesh is expecting a reply from India regarding its request for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition and will send a reminder after a certain period if no reply is received from New Delhi, said a spokesperson on Tuesday.
“Surely, we will wait until a certain period. The diplomatic letter (note verbale) was handed over on Monday only. A reminder will be given writing again if no reply comes (from Indian side),” spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Rafiqul Alam told reporters while responding to a question at the weekly briefing.
He said the government will take the next step based on the reply from the Indian side. "At this moment we won’t make any comments as we will wait for the reply.”
“If you look at the extradition treaty and so far I remember, there is no mention about time limit,” said the spokesperson, adding that they have not received any reply from the Indian side as of now.
Dhaka seeks Hasina’s extradition, sends letter to Delhi
The spokesperson at India’s Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal on Monday confirmed that they received the extradition request for Sheikh Hasina from the interim government of Bangladesh.
"We confirm that we have received a Note Verbale from the Bangladesh High Commission today in connection with an extradition request," he said, adding that at this time, they have no comment to offer on this matter.
Hasina is facing over 100 cases with a wide range of charges, including murder, genocide and crimes against humanity in charge of killings during the July uprising that led to make her flee to India on August 5.
Bangladesh and India signed an extradition treaty in 2013, which was later amended in 2016, providing a legal framework for such requests.
In July 2016, Bangladesh and India amended Article 10 (3) of their bilateral Extradition Treaty to facilitate the swift extradition of fugitive criminals between the two nations.
On December 8, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said they would formally approach India seeking former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's extradition after completing the required legal procedures.
"Our government's position on the extradition of Sheikh Hasina is very clear. We want to bring Sheikh Hasina back to the country to face the law," he said during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.
The interim government claims that Hasina was the key person who passed the order in the "massacre" that took place during her tenure, killing more than 1,500 people during the July-August period.
ACC to reinvestigate Padma Bridge corruption case against Sheikh Hasina
In September, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said Hasina should be extradited and brought to justice if she committed crimes.
"Why shouldn't she be? If she committed crimes, she should be extradited and brought to justice… she should be facing justice, too," he said while responding to a question at "The New York Times Climate Forward Event."
On November 12, Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Advocate Md Tajul Islam wrote to Inspector General of Police Md Moinul Islam, urging the issuance of a red notice through Interpol to secure the return of Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives.
Earlier, on October 17, a three-member ICT bench led by its Chairman, Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumdar, issued arrest warrants for 46 people, including Sheikh Hasina and former minister Obaidul Quader, in separate cases.
4 weeks ago
Dhaka to formally approach Delhi for Hasina's extradition after completing legal procedures: Shafiqul Alam
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Sunday said they would formally approach India seeking former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's extradition after completing the required legal procedures.
"Our government's position on the extradition of Sheikh Hasina is very clear. We want to bring Sheikh Hasina back to the country to face the law," he said during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the evening.
Alam said Hasina was the key person who passed the order in the massacre that took place during her tenure, killing more than 1,500 people in July-August.
"Since we have an extradition treaty with India, one can seek extradition after going through some legal procedures. After completing those procedures, we will formally approach India seeking her extradition," said the Press Secretary.
Wahiduddin’s remarks on polls personal; no date from CA yet: Press Wing
In September, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should be extradited and brought to justice if she committed crimes.
"Why shouldn't she be? If she committed crimes, she should be extradited and brought to justice… She should be facing justice too," he said while responding to a question at "The New York Times Climate Forward Event."
Referring to Hasina, Law Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said Bangladesh will definitely seek extradition of any convicted person under the extradition treaty with India once trials begin.
“We have an extradition treaty with India. As per the extradition treaty, if any convicted person stays in India, we can seek his or her extradition. We will soon let you know through the Law Ministry,” he said recently.
Sheikh Hasina, who left the country on August 5, is facing a number of cases.
1 month ago
Diplomats of 27 European countries to meet CA Dec 9
Diplomats representing 27 European countries, stationed in Dhaka and New Delhi, will together meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on December 9.
Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director General (Public Diplomacy wing) Mohammad Rafiqul Alam shared the updates during the weekly briefing on Thursday.
Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller will join with 27 diplomats.
Responding to a question, he said both sides will explore new areas of cooperation, in addition to discussion on Rohingya crisis, GSP+ facilities in the post-LDC era and partnership and cooperation pact with Bangladesh.
The European Union (EU’s) trade relations with Bangladesh are based on unilateral trade preferences granted by the EU since 2001 under the GSP Everything but Arms (EBA) duty-free, quota-free market access arrangement for the LDCs.
Read: Govt to brief diplomats on minority issues today
This is the first time when 27 ambassadors from the European Union will come together to discuss with the government.
The reason for this meeting is to express the EU's support and to develop high-level cooperation in the economic field.
Twenty ambassadors from 20 European countries are based in New Delhi, and seven ambassadors are based in Dhaka.
1 month ago
Mamata Banerjee displeased over exclusion from Dhaka-Delhi water sharing talks
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her dissatisfaction with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for excluding her from the recent water-sharing discussions with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during their meeting in New Delhi.
In a strongly worded letter to Modi, dated June 24, 2024, she wrote: “I am writing this letter in context of the recent visit of Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh. It seems that water sharing issues relating to the Ganges and Teesta rivers may have been discussed during the meeting. Such unilateral deliberations and discussions without consultation and the opinion of the state government is neither acceptable nor desirable.”
Dhaka, Delhi discussed joint river management: Hasan Mahmud
Mamata emphasized the importance of West Bengal's relationship with Bangladesh, stating, “We do share a very close relationship with Bangladesh - geographically, culturally and economically, I love and respect people of Bangladesh and always wish for their well-being. The state of West Bengal has cooperated with Bangladesh on several issues in the past.”
She highlighted several successful collaborations, including the exchange of India-Bangladesh enclaves (Chitmahal), the Indo-Bangladesh Railway Line, and Bus Services. However, she underlined the critical importance of water resources, saying, “Water is very precious and is the lifeline of the people. We cannot compromise on such a sensitive issue which has severe and adverse implication on the people. People of West Bengal will be the worst sufferers due to the impact of such agreements.”
Peaceful management of border a shared priority: Dhaka, Delhi
The West Bengal Chief Minister raised concerns about the renewal of the Indo-Bangladesh Farakka Treaty, set to expire in 2026. She noted, “It is a Treaty which delineates the principles of sharing of water between Bangladesh and India and as you are aware it has huge implications for the people of West Bengal for maintaining their livelihood and that the water which is diverted at the Farakka Barrage helps in maintaining the navigability of the Kolkata port.”
She pointed out the changes in river morphology in eastern India and Bangladesh, which have negatively impacted water availability in West Bengal. “There has been eastward migration of the Ganges (and Padma in Bangladesh) over the last 200 years disrupting their link with several rivers in West Bengal. For example, Jalangi and Mathabhanga rivers got disconnected from Padma and the fresh water inflow into the Sundarban has reduced. In fact, the genesis of construction of Farakka Barrage Project is the disconnection of Bhagirathi from the Ganges.”
Hasina, Modi endorse shared vision for future enhancing connectivity, commerce, collaboration for shared prosperity
Mamata expressed frustration over the lack of response to her previous communications on these issues, stating, “On these issues, I have written several times to draw your attention.”
Regarding the Teesta river, she wrote, “Further, it seems that sharing of Teesta water between India and Bangladesh has also been discussed in the meeting. The health of Teesta river has suffered from construction of series of hydropower projects in Sikkim, deforestation in upper catchment and impact of climate change.”
She criticized the Indian government’s proposal for bilateral cooperation to restore the Teesta in Bangladesh, noting the lack of concrete steps taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to restore the river onthe Indian side. “I am surprised by the fact that no concrete steps have been taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to restore the river in its original form and health on the Indian side. Due to reasons stated above water flow in the Teesta has gone down over the years and it is estimated that, if any water is shared with Bangladesh, lakhs of people in North Bengal (West Bengal) will get severely impacted due to inadequate availability of irrigation water.”
In her concluding remarks, Mamata reiterated her strong reservations, “Finally, it is to convey my strong reservation that no discussion on sharing of Teesta water and the Farakka Treaty should be taken up with Bangladesh without the involvement of the state government. The interest of people in West Bengal is paramount which should not be compromised at any cost.”
Flood-hit people in Sylhet face food, drinking water crisis though water receding
6 months ago
PM Hasina to visit India June 8-10 to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Saturday to attend her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony at his invitation.
PM's speechwriter, M Nazrul Islam, today confirmed her joining in the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Sunday (June 9). She will return home on June 10, he added.
Modi is likely to take oath as the prime minister of India for the historic third term in a row on June 9 after his BJP-led NDA alliance won 293 seats in the elections for 543-member Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian parliament.
PM Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremsinghe are among the foreign leaders who have been invited to witness Modi’s oath-taking ceremony.
Earlier, Modi invited Hasina to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his government, and she accepted the invitation.
Modi has thanked PM Hasina for her warm wishes following his election victory.
Prime Minister Hasina was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Modi, reflecting the warmth and personal rapport between the two leaders.
"India and Bangladesh share historic relations, which have seen unprecedented growth in the last decade," Modi said.
In a message shared through X, Modi said he looks forward to working together to further strengthen the people-centric partnership between Bangladesh and India.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Narendra Modi on the resounding victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lok Sabha election.
"As the leader of the largest democracy in the world, you carry the hopes and aspirations of the people of India," she said.
Modi received a congratulatory telephone call from Sheikh Hasina for the victory of NDA, according to the Press Information Bureau of India.
The two leaders pledged to continue working together to further deepen the historic and close ties under the renewed mandate towards achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 and Smart Bangladesh 2041.
They acknowledged the significant improvements achieved in the lives of the people of both countries in the last decade and looked forward to further enhancing the transformative relationship across all domains that include economic and development partnership, energy security, connectivity including digital linkages and people-to-people contacts among others.
PM Narendra Modi called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday and tendered his resignation along with the Union council of ministers.
7 months ago
Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya receives Padma Shri Award
Prominent Bangladeshi singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya received the prestigious Padma Shri Award from the Indian government on Monday (April 22, 2024).
Indian President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri Awards for the year 2024 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
The Vice President of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Minister, and other dignitaries were present.
Read more: Sadi Mohammad laid to eternal rest at Mohammadpur
Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards in India, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.The awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activity, viz., art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, among others.
8 months ago
PM Hasina likely to travel to India and China in first bilateral visits since forming new govt
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to embark on bilateral visits to New Delhi and Beijing within the next three months, marking her first such engagements after the January 7 national election. These visits are aimed at deepening Bangladesh's connections with India and China, Asia's two leading economic powers.
Following the formation of the new government, Prime Minister Hasina attended the Munich Security Conference in Germany in February, highlighting her active engagement on the global stage.
Diplomatic sources indicate that PM Hasina's visit to India is planned after the conclusion of the neighbouring country’s national election, which is the world's largest democratic exercise, spanning seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the vote count set for June 4.
Read more: Foreign Minister discusses visa issuance and air connectivity with Bahrain’s ambassador-designate
Pre-election surveys suggest a strong showing for the coalition led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is widely anticipated to secure re-election.
"Prime Minister's (Sheikh Hasina) India visit will definitely take place. However, it will take place after the election in India," Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said.
He said it is not yet discussed at the official level when the visit will exactly take place.
In January, Prime Minister Modi extended warm congratulations to PM Hasina on her electoral victory, expressing hopes for the continued strengthening of the historically close ties between India and Bangladesh.
The last bilateral engagement between PM Modi and PM Hasina occurred during the G-20 Leaders Summit in September 2023, where Bangladesh was the guest country.
PM Hasina pays tribute to Father of the Nation on Independence Day
PM Modi is expected to extend invitations to South Asian and BIMSTEC country leaders for his swearing-in ceremony, fostering regional cooperation.
Additionally, PM Hasina's forthcoming visit to China in July was underscored during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen, who reiterated China's commitment to boosting investment in Bangladesh and enhancing bilateral relations.
Ambassador Yao emphasised the significance of the visit in promoting trade, investment, and cultural exchange, aligning with Bangladesh's aspirations for "Vision 2041" and the realisation of a "Smart Bangladesh."
PM Hasina wants Russian Rosatom to build another nuclear power plant at Rooppur
9 months ago
Foreign Minister says will discuss Rohingya repatriation issue with India during his visit
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday (February 06, 2024) said that the Rohingya repatriation issue will be discussed with India during his first bilateral visit to New Delhi apart from discussion on overall bilateral issues.
He mentioned that Myanmar is a neighbouring country for both Bangladesh and India.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said Bangladesh has been seeking India's support regarding the Rohingya repatriation. "So, overall this issue will be discussed," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last September where the Rohingya issue was discussed.
123 more Myanmar security forces including army men make their way into Bangladesh: BGB
With regard to the regional situation, Modi expressed appreciation of the burden shouldered by Bangladesh in hosting over a million persons displaced from the Rakhine State in Myanmar, and conveyed India's constructive and positive approach to support solutions towards safe and sustainable repatriation of the refugees.
Since the Foreign Minister will have a meeting with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the current security situation in Myanmar is likely to be discussed in the context of regional issues, said a diplomatic source.
The foreign minister is going to India tonight (Tuesday) and is scheduled to hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishanka on Wednesday.
The foreign minister is likely to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will have a separate meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal during his stay in New Delhi.
He will also pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the iconic Rajghat.
Foreign Ministry summons Myanmar Ambassador
He is likely to attend a seminar, too.
Asked about BNP's comment that the Myanmar BGP members are entering Bangladesh and the conflicts are spilling into Bangladesh territory due to the government's “lenient foreign policy,” Hasan said BNP leaders were "speaking the language of the insane."
"BNP thought that the foreign countries will not welcome the new government of Bangladesh after the polls, but now that all are welcoming and expressing their interest to work with us, BNP is speaking the language of the insane," he said.
Though the Foreign Minister will go to New Delhi directly, he will return to Dhaka via Kolkata on Friday night (February 9), a senior official told UNB.
In Kolkata, he will attend a "meet the press" event and a reception, to be hosted by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission.
Earlier, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seheli Sabrin, said issues of mutual interest including trade, connectivity and energy cooperation, people-to-people contacts and regional cooperation will be discussed between the two sides at the bilateral meeting to further strengthen Bangladesh-India relations.
Asked whether the Teesta water-sharing issue will be discussed in the meeting, the foreign ministry spokesperson said they expect the issue would be discussed.
Tension at the border: What Dhaka told the Myanmar Ambassador
11 months ago
First bilateral visit: Hasan Mahmud to visit Delhi on Feb 7, strengthening relations on agenda
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud is scheduled to leave for New Delhi, India on February 7 – the first bilateral visit by the minister after his appointment – to further strengthen Bangladesh-India relations.
“It’s likely to be a three-day visit,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (January 18, 2024), noting that the agenda of the visit is yet to be finalised.
The Foreign Minister said he will be visiting the country at the invitation of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
Asked whether he will have a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit, Mahmud said, “It is too early to say.”
Read more: FM to lead Bangladesh delegation at 19th NAM Summit in Uganda
Jaishankar, earlier, invited his Bangladesh counterpart Dr Hasan Mahmud to visit New Delhi at a mutually convenient time.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma extended the invitation on behalf of the Indian External Affairs Minister on Monday.
The Foreign Minister accepted the invitation and told him that he would visit Delhi soon.
Mahmud was scheduled to embark on a multilateral tour to Uganda last night. After two hours, he came to know that the flight will not depart due to fog and poor visibility. The Foreign Minister was scheduled to hold a meeting on the sidelines of NAM Summit today.
The meeting with the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka marked Hasan Mahmud’s first diplomatic engagement since assuming the office of foreign minister.
He noted the successful holding of the 12th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh on January 7, which was free, fair and participatory, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He also noted that international elections observers and media who visited Dhaka to cover elections expressed their satisfaction over the election process.
Read more: FM seeks EU's trade concessions until 2032 for Bangladesh’s graduation
1 year ago