Highlighting the historic bondage, Indian President Droupadi Murmu has expressed hope that the relations between the two countries will further be strengthened in the coming days based on goodwill, trust, understanding and mutual respect. She made the remarks when outgoing Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran met her at the latter’s office at Rashtrapati Bhaban on Tuesday. During the meeting, the High Commissioner conveyed greetings and warm regards to the President and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. They discussed various issues of bilateral cooperation including the recent successful visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India, which has further consolidated the existing relationships between the two neighbouring countries, said the Bangladesh High Commission in a media release.

The forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi will further strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two countries based on strong historical and cultural ties and mutual trust and understanding, says India on Thursday. PM Hasina will pay a state visit to India on September 5-8 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. She last visited New Delhi in October 2019. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said they will soon brief the media in detail about the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister. During her visit, PM Hasina will meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar apart from holding bilateral consultations with her counterpart Modi. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on PM Hasina, said the Ministry of External Affairs. Hasina is also likely to visit Ajmer. Also read: “BGB vigilant, none can enter from Myanmar now” In recent years, both sides have sustained a high level of engagement, including at the highest level, MEA said. Bangladesh and India have finalised the text of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on interim water sharing of Kushiyara River ahead of PM Hasina's visit. The first unit of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant will go into commercial operation in early October in a major stride in growing Bangladesh-India power sector cooperation, officials said. Unit-I of 1320 (2x660) MW coal-fired power plant was successfully synchronized with the national grid on August 15. After completion and successful synchronization of Unit-I of the power plant, further synchronization-related activities are currently being undertaken, following which Unit-I will be handed over to the government of Bangladesh, said the officials involved in the project. Prime Minister Hasina and her Indian counterpart Modi are expected to jointly announce the completion of Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant first unit’s construction during her visit to India. The two countries also welcomed finalisation of the design and location of water intake point on the Feni river to meet the drinking water needs of Sabroom town in Tripura as per the October 2019 Bangladesh-India MoU on this subject. Also read: UN lauds Bangladesh's good practices in countering terrorism, preventing violent extremism At the 38th ministerial level Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) meeting held in New Delhi on August 25, Bangladesh requested India in signing the MoU for withdrawal of water by Bangladesh and India from the common stretch of Kushiyara River at an early date. The Indian side assured that the issue is under their consideration. Both sides agreed to conduct the feasibility study for optimum utilization of water received by Bangladesh under the provision of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, 1996. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven rivers have been identified earlier for developing the framework of water sharing agreements on priority.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and India will be a gamechanger for bilateral trade partnership, says Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami. CEPA is under active discussion of both the governments, he said while addressing a virtual event on Wednesday. High Commissioner Doraiswami highlighted Duty-Free Quota-Free market access available to Bangladesh products under SAFTA since 2011. He said India’s vast consumer market offers enormous opportunities for the quality food products from Bangladesh and underscored the importance of linkages among trade bodies.  The High Commissioner also emphasized the importance of finalizing reciprocal arrangements with regard to food safety standards and rapid upgradation of logistics to enhance such trade. Also read: Greater trade, connectivity hold brighter future for Dhaka-Delhi ties: Doraiswami Focusing on Bangladesh-India trade agricultural and processed food products, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in association with Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association and India Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the virtual conference and India-Bangladesh Trade Fair on Agri Products. 

Bangladesh and India have agreed to accelerate the momentum that exists between the countries with an eye on the next 50 years of cooperation in diversified areas. Emphasis was also put on enhanced connectivity, not just between Bangladesh and India but beyond the two countries to ensure broader economic benefits. “We not only need to continue the momentum, we need to accelerate the momentum,” Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said sharing the outcome of talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday evening. Modi had a “productive meeting” with Hasina and reviewed the full range of Bangladesh-India relations and discussed ways to deepen economic and cultural linkages in the times to come. He said Prime Minister Hasina raised the Teesta issue while the Indian Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to that end, sharing India’s sincere and continued efforts to conclude the agreement. Also read: Hasina seeks fair share of Teesta water The Indian Foreign Secretary said cooperation in the areas of common rivers water is an important issue.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said Bangladesh and India, as the closest neighbours, will continue to work together to establish a secure South Asia for the benefit of all people.

Bangladesh and India will chart out plans to take the "rock-solid and historic" Dhaka-Delhi relations to the next level expanding areas of cooperation between the two countries with a number of engagements in December, officials say.

Bangladesh and India want to resume flight operations through a special "air bubble" arrangement "as soon as possible" after finalising the "technicalities".

The 6th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting began on Tuesday afternoon with a special focus on water sharing, projects under India-financed LoC, connectivity, trade and energy cooperation, officials said.

Bangladesh and India will discuss new areas of cooperation and pending issues at Foreign Minister-level virtual talks on Tuesday with a special focus on projects under India-financed LoC, connectivity, trade and energy cooperation, officials said.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said Bangladesh's relations with India and China should not be compared noting that Bangladesh puts emphasis on its development through cooperation and collaboration.