Dhaka, Delhi sign seven instruments

Bangladesh and India have signed seven bilateral documents, aiming to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Secretary or top official of the seven ministries and institutions concerned on behalf of Bangladesh and India's High Commissioner Vikram Kumar Doraiswami signed on behalf of India at State Guesthouse Padma in the capital on Thursday.

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Culture Khalid Hossain and Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen were present at the MoU signing ceremony.

The MOUs include a framework for hydrocarbon cooperation, agricultural cooperation, cooperation between New Delhi museum and Bangabandhu museum, creating sanctuaries to protect elephants, a high-impact community development project, and a trilateral deal for the procurement of waste management equipment for the sewerage project in Barishal.

These MOU were signed as part of the Hasina-Modi virtual summit to be held shortly today.

During the meeting, the two leaders will comprehensively discuss different bilateral issues, including further strengthening of cooperation in the post-Covid era, diplomatic sources said.

A joint statement will be issued by the two countries.

The two premiers on the virtual platform will witness the reopening of an old railway link, Chilahati-Haldibari rail route, after 55 years since it was snapped during the India-Pakistan war in 1965.