Bangladesh army chief to visit India

Seeking to further improve military ties with India, Bangladesh Army Chief Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan will be on a four-day visit to India starting Monday.
During the visit, Gen Bhuiyan will hold meetings with military and political leadership including Defence Minister A K Antony and Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh, officials said here today.
The visit assumes significance in the light of improving military cooperation between the two countries in consonance with India's growing political and economic relationships with Bangladesh, they added.
He is also expected to visit some of the important Indian military training institutions here.
Special Forces of India and Bangladesh had recently concluded the second edition of their exercise 'Sampriti' in Agra this year.

Gen Bikram Singh had visited Bangladesh in October last year. His predecessor Gen V K Singh had also visited Dhaka in 2011.
India and Bangladesh share a long-standing cooperation in area of defence. While India trains Bangladesh's Gentlemen Cadets, the two countries have also organised joint training and exercises in the last few years.
"The visit will further cement our defence relationship with Bangladesh and add impetus to ongoing defence cooperation. Maintenance of enhanced military-to-military contacts with Bangladesh by Indian Army is mutually beneficial to the strategic interests of both the neighbours", the officials said.