Sonowal urges India, Bangladesh to fight terror jointly

Guwahati: Extolling the intrinsic relationship between India and Bangladesh, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal  has called for coordination among the two nations to ensure that respective territories of both the countries  are not allowed used for any activities including terrorism  inimical to the other.

Addressing 8th Round of India- Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue here Sonowal called for intensive coordination between the two neighbouring countries in fighting terror, religious bigotry and cross-border crimes.

This three-day programme is being organized from Sunday  by Assam State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) in  collaboration with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies (BFRS) and India Foundation (IF).

“We have common enemies, problems and threats, those have to be combated and fought together. Our common enemy is poverty and together we have to fight that. Our common threats which of course are also a global threat, are terrorism and fundamentalism. We have to fight them together and have been working together”.

Stating that terrorism remains one of the most significant threats to peace and stability in the region, Sonowal urged both the governments to commit themselves to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

He highlighted the urgent need to improve market access and remove barriers to trade, including port restrictions on products, to ensure smooth movement of goods across the borders.

Appreciating the initiative taken up by Bangladesh Government for setting up of an Assistant High Commissionerate of Bangladesh in Guwahati,  Sonowal highlighted the milestones achieved during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in June 2015 when as many as 22 agreements were signed by both the countries.

“During the visit of PM Modi, India extended a US$2 billion line of credit to Bangladesh and pledged US$5 billion worth of investments. As per the agreements, India’s Reliance Power agreed to invest US$3 billion to set up a 3,000 MW LNG-based power plant which is the single largest foreign investment ever made in Bangladesh. Adani Power will also be setting up a 1600 MW coal-fired power plant at a cost of US$1.5 billion. The two countries also signed agreement on maritime safety co-operation and curbing human trafficking and fake Indian currency”, the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister also pointed out some of the issues for resolving through dialogues in the forum which include removal of restrictions in items of trade between India and Bangladesh, particularly through the land route of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.