C T Online Desk: Commending the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in ensuring all-round development of Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his commitment to working with her to further strengthen the India-Bangladesh ties.
Modi came up with the praise when his Bangladesh counterpart’s Security Advisor Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique met him on March 7, said a press release of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office.
The Indian Prime Minister fondly recalled his visit to Bangladesh made in March, 2021 and conveyed his best wishes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Siddique thanked the Indian Prime Minister for strengthening India-Bangladesh friendship and standing firmly by Bangladesh in times of crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
Later, the Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh attended the two-day 5th National Security Advisor (NSA)-level Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in Male on March 9-10.
The conclave was participated by national security advisors and representatives from India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh and Seychelles.
The CSC includes India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Mauritius has been included in the group as the fourth member. Bangladesh and Seychelles took part as observers.
Meanwhile, our New Delhi correspondent reported that Bangladesh joined the Colombo Security Conclave as observer for the first time.
At the CSC, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has called for strengthening cooperation on first responding and addressing shared security challenges among maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region.
In the conclave, Maldivian Defence Minister Maria Didi highlighted regional security challenges facing his country such as narco-trafficking, human trafficking, piracy, fisheries, terrorism and violent extremism.
Maria also welcomed the membership of Mauritius in the conclave and with this the number of its member countries has increased to four. He expressed the hope that the observer countries would soon join the conclave.
India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives jointly started the Security Conclave in 2011. The purpose of this conclave is to build closer cooperation between the three countries of the Indian Ocean on maritime and security matters.
