Bangladesh is India's closest development partner: Pranay Verma
Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pranay Kumar Verma on Tuesday said Bangladesh holds a vital position as India's closest development partner.
During the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) Day Celebration 2023 event organised by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, he also highlighted the opportunity for Bangladeshi professionals to receive training in capacity development from India, tailored to their specific needs.
Pranay Verma said the ITEC programme has collaborations with 160 partner countries globally. Bangladesh has around 5,000 alumni who have successfully completed ITEC courses.
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During the event, Bangladesh alumni members expressed their interest in the introduction of on-arrival visas between Bangladesh and India.
At the event, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque praised the ITEC programme, emphasising its role in skill development and its affordability for Bangladeshi professionals. He expressed optimism about the programme's expansion under the joint initiative of India and Bangladesh.
He also criticised certain political parties including the BNP for attempting to disrupt the upcoming elections by creating unrest. He expressed confidence in the Awami League's victory, saying that the party will gain power through the people's mandate.
However, he said that if the party does not receive the majority vote, it will respect the people's choice and hand over power accordingly.
The agriculture minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to conducting free and fair elections in accordance with the constitution.
