Outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami has said India wants Bangladesh to be happy, prosperous and successful in its democratic journey. “Your democracy is for you (Bangladeshis) to develop,” he told reporters at National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar today. The Indian diplomat said he is not here to say that they will support this person or that person, noting that this is not a place to talk about politics.   Read: Doraiswami: PM Hasina’s India visit "extremely successful" with "strong deliverables" “The relationship (Bangladesh-India) is strong….we will always stand with Bangladesh and the people of Bangladesh,” he said on his last day in Bangladesh.  Doraiswami visited the memorial and paid tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Liberation War of 1971. He observed a minute-long silence and signed the visitors’ book there after placing the wreath.   “In everlasting memory of those who laid down their lives so that Bangladesh could live,” reads the message written on the wreath on behalf of the High Commissioner and all personnel.  The diplomat said India's relationship with Bangladesh is now stronger with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent visit to India. Read: Under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, India-Bangladesh ties will reach new heights: Doraiswami He said the people of Bangladesh are very good-hearted people. “As a result, I have performed my duties well in this country so far.” Doraiswami, who has been appointed as High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, is scheduled to leave Bangladesh tomorrow. Earlier at a farewell reception on Thursday evening, Doraiswami said Bangladesh-India relationship is like a “train” and that train must keep moving to do more great things together. Read "Bangladesh-India are connected through the heart" Doraiswami said people of Bangladesh and India are connected through souls and hearts, and it is stronger than blood ties. “We always have faith in that connection.”

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami has described Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent India visit as "extremely successful" with "very strong deliverables" on all areas of important cooperation from trade, connectivity to water sharing. "So our goal essentially was to ensure that the relationship goes forward with more trade, more cooperation," he told reporters during an interaction at Old India House on Wednesday evening. Doraiswami particularly highlighted few of the deliverables, one being the MoU on water sharing of the Kushiyara River, the first water sharing agreement that the two countries had since the Ganges water sharing treaty in 1996. Read: Under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, India-Bangladesh ties will reach new heights: Doraiswami The second thing is the announcement by the two leaders of a decision to start negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). "Third, I think the sense of focus on transport and connectivity was very strong. A very good package was negotiated and finalized in terms of railway connectivity in particular," Doraiswami said. During the visit, the Indian side requested the Bangladesh side for cooperation for initiating new sub-regional connectivity projects including a highway from Hili in West Bengal to Mahendraganj in Meghalaya through Bangladesh and in this regard, proposed preparation of a detailed project report. Read: Masud Bin Momen bids farewell to Doraiswami Responding to a question, the High Commissioner said the idea is sub regional connectivity and the numbers of road options are very limited. “Alternatives options have to be explored and we are now suggesting and looking at options…” In the same spirit, Bangladesh reiterated its eagerness to partner in the ongoing initiative of the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project. The envoy said they intended to invite Bangladesh to be one of the guests at the G20 Summit, which India will host next September. Read Hasina, Modi jointly unveil Rampal Power Plant’s unit 1 "And of course that has now been announced. So as you will understand, it is not just an invitation for the Summit level process. It is an invitation for the totality of the G20 meetings during India's chairmanship," Doraiswami said, terming it a very big deal. Essentially all the guest countries including Bangladesh will have an opportunity to be part of the larger process of negotiating outcomes for the totality of G20. India, as G20 Presidency, will be inviting Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as guest countries to its meetings and Summit. Read Dhaka, Delhi sign 7 MoUs; unveil projects India will assume the Presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. Under its Presidency, India is expected to host over 200 G20 meetings across the country, beginning December 2022. PM Sheikh Hasina paid a state visit to India from September 5-8 at the invitation of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. Read Getting Kushiyara water is a big success of PM’s India visit: Quader During the visit, Prime Minister Hasina called on President of India Droupadi Murmu and Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy called on her. Prime Minister Hasina’s programme also included launching of "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Student Scholarship” for 200 descendants of Indian Armed Forces personnel martyred and critically injured during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. Read PM’s India Visit: Bilateral instruments on water management, defence, railway likely to be signed She also addressed a business event, jointly organized by Indian and Bangladesh business communities on September 7. Both Prime Ministers held a restricted meeting and tête-à-tête followed by delegation level talks on September 6. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations, based on deep historical and fraternal ties and shared values of democracy and pluralism, which is reflected in an all-encompassing bilateral partnership, based on sovereignty, equality, trust and understanding that transcends even a strategic partnership. Read Let’s see what she achieves this time, Fakhrul about PM’s India tour They recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit in March 2021 to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and India, which was followed by the state visit of the President of India in December 2021, to attend the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Victory Day of Bangladesh, as the guest of honour.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said if Bangladesh and India can work together, it would be beneficial for both nations and will also contribute to peace and prosperity in the region. “Bangladesh and India share progressive, comprehensive and substantial cooperation in diverse areas,” he said when outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami met him at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (September 13, 2022).  The Indian envoy mentioned that the outstanding bilateral ties have turned remarkable because of the ongoing collaboration and cooperation between the two countries. Read:Dhaka, Kathmandu seek enhanced ties for mutual gains Foreign Minister Momen also emphasized having a “stronger regional approach” for coping with the challenges brought about by the “new normal” challenges. The Indian High Commissioner conveyed an invitation from External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar, addressed to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, for an event on September 22 on the sidelines of the 77th session of United Nations General Assembly. The Foreign Minister accepted the invitation cordially, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment for further strengthening the excellent relations between the two countries in the days ahead. The recent state visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India has also added a significant momentum to the bilateral relations which bears the testimony of time-tested friendship, Momen said. He credited the High Commissioner for his due role during the unprecedented state visits by both the President and the Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh last year. Read:Dhaka-Delhi relations to be strengthened further, hopes Indian President The Foreign Minister also appreciated the proactive role of Doraiswami in the joint celebration of Maitree Dibosh (Friendship Day) on December 6, 2021 which was celebrated in 20 selected cities including Dhaka and New Delhi. High Commissioner Doraiswami thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for extending support and cooperation in discharging his duties during his stay in Bangladesh. He mentioned that his experience in Dhaka would always be cherished in his memory.