Let’s continue to work together: Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind has called upon Bangladesh to continue to work with India towards realising dreams of peoples, with both nations developing and their friendship deepening further.

India has always attached the highest priority to its friendship with Bangladesh, he said, adding, "We remain committed to doing all we can, to help realise the full potential of our friendship. In recent years, we have seen steady expansion of trade, economic cooperation, people-to-people ties, student exchanges and extensive engagements across multiple areas of activity."

The first 50 years of the partnership began by surmounting extraordinary challenges that forged a deep friendship between people of both countries. The time has now come to raise the bar even higher, Kovind also said, while addressing a special function at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad on the occasion of Bangladesh's Golden Jubilee of Independence and Mujib Borsho.

The Indian president was the guest of honour at the state function.

"Our businesses, our academics and especially our youths must be motivated to jointly create globally-pioneering initiatives in the world of ideas, creativity, commerce and technology," he said.

Innovators of the countries should be urged to find new solutions based on locally-appropriate technologies and address common development challenges, the Indian president continued. 

He also said they must urge their thinkers to leverage the power of their own unique success stories, find "best-in-class" ideas that are relevant in the regional context. 

"Together we can create opportunities for seamless flow of ideas and innovation as we enter a new era of inter-connectivity."

Businesses should be encouraged to realise the vision of deeply-integrated supply chains of production and transport connectivity, Kovind said. 

"History will always bear witness to this unique foundation of our friendship, forged in the people's war that liberated Bangladesh," he noted.

Veterans of that war – both from India and Bangladesh – some of whom are here in this audience, including the Honourable President of Bangladesh, are living testimony to the power of faith and friendship, which can move mountains, he also said. 

"A little over 50 years ago, the vision of an independent Bangladesh inspired millions. But it seemed to be a remote and impossible dream then to naysayers, sceptics and detractors," he said.

"I remember that I was inspired, as a youth, by the moral courage of Bangabandhu [Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]. Like millions of others, I was electrified by his powerful voice, and the understanding that it carried the aspirations of 70 million people of Bangladesh at that time," Kovind said.

"Like millions of Indians of my generation, we were elated by the victory of Bangladesh over an oppressive regime and were deeply inspired by the faith and courage of the people of Bangladesh."

The vision of Bangabandhu was of a Bangladesh that was not only free politically, but also of a nation that was equitable and inclusive. Sadly, his vision could not be realised in his lifetime, he continued.

The anti-liberation forces who brutally killed Bangabandhu and most of his family did not realise that bullets and violence cannot extinguish an idea that has captured the imagination of the people, the Indian president added.

"Today, these ideals of Bangabandhu are being realised by the hardworking and enterprising people of Bangladesh, guided by the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said.

Lauding Bangladesh's economic prosperity, the Indian president said, "We have witnessed the commendable economic growth achieved by Bangladesh in the last decade, which has also created opportunities for its citizens to realise their full potential. Your country's stellar economic performance complemented by geographical advantage can benefit the entire sub-region and the world."

There is a growing recognition among international experts about the fact that close sub-regional trade, economic cooperation and connectivity will help accelerate the process of achieving a Sonar Bangla in the shortest possible period of time, he added.

Deeming Bangladesh a unique country of astonishing natural beauty, fertile land and majestic rivers, Kovind said it is also a land of poets, artists, scholars and thinkers.