Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh on Tuesday night called on Bangladesh and India to move beyond their differences and work together to build a relationship based on “mutual and unconditional trust,” saying the aspirations of the two countries’ young generations should guide the future of bilateral ties.
“We need to get ourselves together. Move on. I’m not telling you to forget the past, but keep the past and sort out the differences of the past. But move on. Don’t get stagnant,” he said.
The High Commissioner made the remarks while addressing a reception hosted in honour of leading Bangladeshi business leaders and a visiting delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at The Westin Dhaka.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and Director General Chandrajit Banerjee also spoke at the reception.
High Commissioner Trivedi said both Bangladesh and India are aspirational countries, with their young people looking for opportunities, prosperity and a better future.
“It’s aspirant Bangladesh and it’s aspirant India,” he said, stressing the need for the two countries to work together to create opportunities for the younger generation.
Referring to his arrival in Bangladesh, the High Commissioner said, “The day I came in, I just walked in. This is one of the symbols, I think, that we are together.”
High Commissioner Trivedi said the foundation of any long-lasting relationship is “mutual and unconditional trust”.
“Friends really understand each other’s issues, and we are not friends if we don’t understand,” he said.
Acknowledging that there are issues between the two neighbours, he said such differences can be resolved through engagement and dialogue.
“I can tell you I fully understand there are issues, but these issues can definitely be sorted out once the Prime Minister of Bangladesh (Tarique Rahman) and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet,” he said.
The Indian envoy also conveyed what he described as an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a future visit by the Bangladesh Prime Minister to India.
“After meeting the Prime Minister here, I went straight to Delhi and had a great meeting with our Prime Minister. He (PM Modi) just mentioned one thing: we need to meet,” he said.
“You can tell them on my behalf that you have the Prime Minister of India’s assurance that when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves,” he added, quoting the Indian Prime Minister.
The visit, Trivedi said, would be “a memorable visit” whose benefits would ultimately reach people and businesses on both sides.
The High Commissioner said India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy reflects the importance New Delhi attaches to its relationship with Bangladesh.
"Why did he send me? For one simple reason: we have a lot of respect, we have a lot of affection and we have a lot of need with a neighbour. And our policy is Neighbourhood First,” he said.
Trivedi acknowledged that the two countries have gone through “hiccups” in their relationship, but said such difficulties should not undermine their longstanding bonds.
“We have all gone through hiccups here and then. I think that’s quite natural; that also happens in a family. But that doesn’t mean that we move away,” he said.
“We have shared history, we have shared culture, and this is where we need to foster,” Trivedi added.
The High Commissioner also praised Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, describing him as “a people’s person” and noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to congratulate him after his landslide electoral victory and the first to invite him to India.
He said Indian officials have been working closely with Bangladesh’s ministers in recent weeks to address differences and understand the concerns of the Bangladeshi people.
“We deeply understand the concerns of brothers and sisters of Bangladesh,” he said, while stressing that the relationship should be viewed as “a partnership of equals”.
“These concerns can only be mitigated once you meet,” Trivedi said.