Bangladesh PM writes to new CM of Assam; focuses on shared economic development
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'Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Assam and India as a whole for saving lives and restoring livelihoods,' PM Hasina said
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has written to the newly-elected Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam, with a focus on shared economic development and connectivity.
Assam is one of the five Indian states, along with West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya that share an international border with Bangladesh.
In the letter to the CM, Bangladesh PM expressing her confidence said, "under your visionary leadership the multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-faith people of Assam will progress towards a more vibrant society and greater development".
Assam saw a three-phase election from March 27 to April 6 and the incumbent BJP-led NDA alliance retaining power in the 126 legislative assembly, getting 75 seats.
PM #SheikhHasina invited Indian State of Assam to reap benefits from #Bangladesh's growth trajectory in view of warmth-depth-diversity of BD-Ind relationships while congratulating @himantabiswa as new CM of Assam and wishing him success in leading his pluralistic state. pic.twitter.com/CjeEwFsHsy
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh (@BDMOFA) May 14, 2021
Highlighting how Bangladesh is "poised to graduate into a middle-income country", Bangladesh PM extended an "invite" to Assam to "reap benefits from our socio-economic development and growth trajectory".
The United Nations Committee for Development Policy has recommended the graduation of the country to a middle-income country since it has met all the three eligibility criteria based on per capita income, human asset, and economic vulnerability index.
In her letter, the Prime Minister focused on connectivity, saying, "government of Bangladesh remains steadfast in strengthening connectivity for the northeastern part of India" and "given our locational advantage as a connectivity hub between" south and southeast Asia "we remain supportive of India's Act East Policy".
India and Bangladesh are getting connected via, road, rail, and waterways, even as both countries have revived five out of pre-1965 six rail links. In December, both sides had a virtual summit, during which the key focus was connectivity with the opening of the Haldibari-Chilahati rail link connecting Bangladesh with the Indian state of West Bengal.
The covid crisis was mentioned with PM Hasina extending her solidarity. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Assam and India as a whole for saving lives and restoring livelihoods," she said.
Important to note, Bangladesh sent 10,000 doses of Remdesivir to India as it deals with the second wave of covid.
The entire consignment goes to the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and institutes such as the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS). The consignment was handed over at the Petrapole border checkpoint between India and Bangladesh on May 05.
