Bangladesh President attaches great importance on ties with Assam

While speaking at the dinner hosted in his honour by Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi in Guwahati last night, the Bangladesh President said that both the countries share common social and cultural values and these need to be further encouraged with sustained interaction. This will facilitate sustainable peace and progress in the region.

The Bangladesh President had arrived at Guwahati on Thursday during his 5-day long visit to India.          

Acknowledging the cooperation and help extended by the Indian Government and the people of the country to the Muktijudha of Bangladesh War of Liberation, the Bangladesh President specifically recalled his days in Assam and Meghalaya during those tumultuous times.

He also referred to the shelter offered to around one million people who took refuse in the 45 camps set up in the erstwhile Assam. 

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the inherent bond between Assam and Bangladesh.

He also emphasised on furthering people to people contact by engaging students as ambassadors of goodwill between both the countries.

“The relationship of Assam with Bangladesh is of great importance and priority for our Government. The bond that the people of Assam share with Bangladesh is very unique. It is a special relationship rooted in common culture, heritage, literature and language,” Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said while highlighting the historic ties between Bangladesh and Assam in particular and the region in general.

Saying that a of mutual trust and confidence; respect for each other’s sensitivities and concerns, peace and stability in the relationship between Bangladesh and Assam are essential ingredients for realizing the immense potential of the entire region, the Assam CM appreciated the cooperation extended by the Government of Bangladesh to the Government of India in marginalizing the insurgency activities in the North East.

Highlighting the need to harness the untapped potential in the area of trade and investment, connectivity, border and security, people to people exchanges between Assam and Bangladesh, Sonowal mentioned about number of projects undertaken by both the governments for bringing a paradigm shift in the growth trajectory of the region.

He also recalled the immense contribution of stalwarts like Kazi Nazrul Islam, Runa Laila, Bhupen Hazarika, Dr. Moidul Islam Bora in cementing the ties between Assam and Bangladesh.

Earlier, the Bangladesh President with first Lady of Bangladesh Rashida Khanam had visited Maa Kamakhya temple in Assam's Guwahati on Thursday.

The Bangladesh President with his wife had offered their prayer to Maa Kamakhya from outside of the temple.

The Bangladesh President and the first Lady of Bangladesh were accorded a warm welcome by the temple committee.

While arriving at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport, Md Abdul Hamid was welcomed by the Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi along with two Assam ministers Parimal Suklabaidya and Ranjit Dutta.

On ther hand, several organisations of Assam had protested against the Bangladesh President visit.

On Friday, Md Abdul Hamid had visited Meghalaya.

Two air force helicopters took the President’s team to Balat, a small town in East Khasi Hills along with Bangladesh border.

From Balat, he came to Shillong, where he visited the bungalow of Bidhan Chandra Roy (former Bengal chief minister) and Sidli House, where Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore had stayed during his third visit in 1927.

After spending the night at Raj Bhavan in Shillong, Hamid will come back to Guwahati and leave for New Delhi on Mar 11.

He will return to Dhaka on Mar 12.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)