The 10th round of Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue will begin on Friday in Shimla, the capital of Indian state of Himachal, marking the 50th anniversary of two neighbouring countries’ relations, Trend reports citing Dhaka Tribune.
The dialogue aims to review bilateral relations and further boost ties in various fields of cooperation between the two friendly countries, sources said.
Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies and India Foundation are jointly organizing the event, titled Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue, with the participation of policymakers, diplomats and experts on India-Bangladesh relations from both the countries.
Sources said the two-day dialogue will cover a wide range of issues, including trade and investment, connectivity, technology, energy, regional security, extremism, and sustainable development by increasing people-to-people contact.
The participants of the dialogue are expected to place a set of recommendations on the basis of the outcome of the discussions to further boost ties between the two countries.
When contacted, India Foundation Director Alok Bansal told BSS that a 38-member Bangladesh delegation comprising policy makers, experts and diplomats are expected to join the dialogue.
The guests from the Bangladesh side will start arriving in India from Thursday to join the event, he added.
Sources said the Bangladesh delegation will include Awami League Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam MP, Ashim Kumar Ukil MP, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, former diplomats Tareq Karim and Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran, and ASM Shamsul Arefin, among others.
The Indian side will include, among others, Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, BJP former national general secretary Ram Madhav, State Minister for External Affairs Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and India Foundation Director Alok Bansal.
The ninth round of India-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue was held in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh in November 2019.