Dhaka, Delhi on good track
Says Indian Vice President Ansari
Wrapping up his Dhaka visit, Vice President Md Hamid Ansari yesterday said all parties in Bangladesh appeared to be committed to a bilateral relationship with India.
"I had a meeting this morning (yesterday) with Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia. I think on all sides, the commitment to a bilateral relationship is clearly there," Ansari said on his way to New Delhi.
In a reply to a question from journalists on the stand of BNP, he said the opposition too talks of having better relations with India.
Ansari said he had "good conversations" with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.
"I think the basic impression I go back with is that the commitment to developing certain bilateral relationship in all fields is vibrant on both sides."
Both India and Bangladesh were on "good track" in developing their bilateral relations, he said.
"A lot of things are happening in bilateral relationship. Visit of ministers (to Dhaka) have taken place. Things are on the track. The vehicle is not in the first gear, it has moved into second gear and beyond second gear.
"In some areas, it has gone into top gear and in some areas it is in second gear. But the vehicle is moving steady," Ansari said.
He said the talks revolved around core issues of communication and connectivity, water-sharing, and people crossing the international border without proper procedure and documentation. "We have no major political issues."
Public opinion in Bangladesh, according to Ansari, is evolving and more and more people are beginning to understand the benefits of cooperation and connectivity between the two countries.
He said public opinion automatically gets translated into government policy.
Ansari said the cost of disharmony among neighbouring countries is "very high" and "unproductive".
The Indian Vice President, who had gone to Dhaka to jointly launch yearlong celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore, said neighbours have only two options -- either to live in harmony or disharmony.
"...as neighbours, there are only two ways. Either you live in peace, harmony, and cooperation or you live with disharmony. Everybody understands the cost of disharmony is very high and unproductive."
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