India, Bangladesh sign MoU for development of Sylhet

India today agreed to provide financial assistance to Bangladesh for the sustainable development of Sylhet, a north-eastern Bangladeshi city.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed today, three development projects would be taken up in Sylhet.
The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary of the Economic Relations Division Shah Md. Aminul Haque, Sylhet City Corporation CEO Enamul Habib and Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla in Sylhet.
The signing was the follow-up of an earlier MoU which was signed by India and Bangladesh in April 2013 for the implementation of sustainable development projects in socio- economic sectors of Bangladesh, BDnews reported.

Under the project in Sylhet, the Indian government will provide financial aid for the construction of a five-storey Kinder Garten and High School Building, a six-storey cleaner colony building; and for some development work in Dhupa Dighirpar area at a total cost of around Taka 240 million.
"Sylhet is an ancient city and a historically vibrant city. It had been a part of the former Assam province of India. It has been a focal point for 1971 Liberation War. Many eminent personalities of Bangladesh come from this very city. It has been a hub of commercial activities. We are proud to be associated with this city, that too in the educational field," Indian High Commissioner Shringla said.

"We are happy that Government of Bangladesh decided to construct a building for persons who are engaged in cleaning the city," he said, referring to one of the projects which is the construction of a six-storied Cleaner Colony.

"We all should take care of of the people around us who are making our surroundings habitable," he said, referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Mission' launched in October 2014.
"It has created a general awareness among the people of India, including the rural and remote areas of the country about keeping our surroundings and environment clean," the Ambassador was quoted as saying by the report.

He highlighted India-Bangladesh relations that began with the 1971 War of Independence and hoped that "this good relationship will continue for times immemorial".
India will carry out similar sustainable development projects for Rajshahi at the cost of Taka 210 million. A MoU has recently been signed in Rajshahi in this regard.
The High Commissioner said the Indian government also sanctioned an amount of Taka 120 million for the sustainable development of Khulna city. "A MoU for the Khulna projects is likely to be signed shortly," he said.