Sheikh Hasina has worked on commitment of zero-tolerance for terrorism in Bangladesh: Indian envoy Vikram Doraiswami
May 28, 2022
Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 28 : Lauding Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's stern action to combat terrorism, High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh, Vikram Doraiswami on Saturday said that she has worked on her commitment of zero-tolerance for terrorism in the country.
"Terrorist groups are active in many places. They can hide out and maintain a low profile but the Prime Minister of Bangladesh has taken strong steps against them. She has publically stated and worked on that particular commitment that Bangladesh has zero-tolerance for terrorism," Doraiswami told ANI.
This statement comes after the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the radical elements have subsided yet some continue to be at play while there is a need to control them.
A Bangladeshi delegation led by the neighbouring country's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is currently on a visit to India.
He said this while addressing the inaugural session of the NADI conference 2022 "Asian Confluence River Convlave 2022" at Radisson Blu in Guwahati.
On Bangladesh offering India the use of Chittagong port for trade purposes, Doraiswami said that New Delhi had an agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla ports and currently is looking at the finalization of trial runs so that they can start using these ports.
"If you look at history before independence, Chittagong port was developed and became prosperous through serving the entire hinterland. The hinterland consists of not only today's Bangladesh but also Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram," Doraiswami said.
"So, we've had an agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla ports. We're looking at the finalization of all the trial runs so we can actually start using them," he added.
Referring to the railway connectivity between Bangladesh and India under the line of credit (LoC), the Indian envoy said that there are many Bangladeshi people who are keenly interested in travelling to North Bengal and the hilly regions, particularly Darjeeling, Sikkim and Siliguri. And so the railway connectivity should be increased.
"We now need to look forward to more railway connectivity and we are working on it. As External Affairs Minister said today that the restoration of the Kuluara-Shahbazpur and Shahbazpur- Mahishasan rail line will give South-Assam a link to the railway infrastructure of Bangladesh and Dhaka, and a link into North-East frontier Railways," Doraiswami said.
Speaking about the Rohingya refugees, the Indian envoy said that the displacement of people is a challenge to everybody.
"The problem is that the uncontrolled movement of people, who are being displaced from their original homes is a challenge to everybody and as our friends in Bangladesh have also repeatedly pointed out they have over a million people shattering in that country," Doraiswami added.