Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina plans to tour India in February next, the Bangladesh government said today during the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar here.
Hasina's press secretary Ihsanul Karim said she has plans to visit India adding officials of the two countries would work out the schedule of the tour as Akbar made a courtesy call on the premier.
Hasina told Akbar that "there might be problems between two neighbouring countries, but these should not affect the friendship and cooperation".
The premier, he said, reiterated her government's "zero tolerance policy" against terrorism and militancy and said none would be allowed to use Bangladesh's soil for terrorist acts against any country.
"We won't tolerate any sorts of terrorism and militancy and won't allow our land to be used for carrying out terrorist acts against any country," the official said quoting the premier.
Hasina said the Dhaka cafe attack in July which killed 19 foreigners including an Indian girl and the vandalising of temples in Bangladesh were staged to destabilise the country's development and progress.
The prime minister recalled with gratitude the contribution of Indian armed forces in Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971 against Pakistan.
She also mentioned that Indian forces returned to their country immediately after independence of Bangladesh.
"It has created a history as no allied force in the world did return home immediately after the victory," she said.
The premier also discussed with Akbar the issue of constructing water reservoirs on both sides of the border for ensuring water security.
Akbar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina took India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to a new height.
"The horizon of bilateral relations has been widened due to pragmatic steps of the two leaders," the official quoted Akbar as saying.
Akbar said there are vast areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India particularly in the field of hydroelectricity and energy.
Hasina's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present, among others.
Akbar arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to represent India at the 9th annual meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).
(Reopens FGN 16)
At the Global Forum on Migration and Development meeting Akbar said, "There is a well known proverb in the English language: Charity begins at home. We come to this conference with the hope that all of us can set an example by giving practical shape to shared idealism. India believes in "VasudhevaKutumbakam" - the World is a family, a Vedic Shloka that captures the essence of our philosophy.
He said migration must not be confused with refugees;
"If the problem is different, the solution cannot be the same. We need separate sets of policies, frameworks and procedures," he said.
He said the nations need to synergise migration with Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development by which "we have committed to cooperate for facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through implementation of planned and well managed migration policies"
For this he suggested a 9-point protocol.
The protocol included keeping the migrants at the core of the agenda and develop programmes, tools and methodology to enhance the interests of migrants, and their families while maintaining policy space for Governments of destination, transit and origin.
It would also focus on the economic dimension of migration and work towards eliminating barriers to economic migration.
