India hopeful of taking Bangladesh ties forward: Dinesh Trivedi

India is hopeful of further strengthening relations with Bangladesh, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said Wednesday (September 30), stressing that people on both sides want to maintain friendly ties.

Trivedi made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a courtesy meeting with Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan.

Asked about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India, the Indian envoy said the timing would be decided when it is convenient for both countries. No specific date or month has yet been finalised, he said, adding that discussions on the visit are expected to begin soon.

Trivedi described the overall environment surrounding the proposed visit as positive and said there was no need to rush the process. He also said the two countries had discussed areas of mutual cooperation, particularly education and health.

The proposed visit has been under discussion between Dhaka and New Delhi, but officials from both sides have said its timing has not yet been finalised.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Azam Khan said the government was working to determine how the core spirit of the Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan could be reflected in its development, in line with the government’s election manifesto.

The minister also denied reports that the government had decided to replace the fountain marking the site of the Pakistani military’s surrender with another fountain. He said no decision or discussion had taken place on the matter and that the Liberation War Affairs Ministry had already clarified the government’s position on its social media page.