Dhaka, Delhi agree to reset ties on sovereign equality: Dr Khalil

 
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said Bangladesh and India had agreed on the need to reset and advance bilateral relations on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual interest.

Speaking to reporters after a courtesy meeting with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi, Rahman said both sides shared the view that relations should move forward while respecting each country's sovereignty.

"We both agree that our two countries' relations should move forward keeping mutual interests at the forefront and, as I always say, on the basis of sovereign equality," he said.

Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir was also present at the briefing.

The foreign minister said the meeting was primarily a courtesy call and no detailed discussions were held on specific bilateral issues.

"This was a courtesy call. We did not have any extensive discussion on any particular issue, as there will be opportunities for that later," he said.

Rahman, however, acknowledged that there were several "irritants" in Bangladesh-India relations that would need to be addressed.

"He knows about them, and I know about them. It is important that these irritants are addressed," he said.
Asked whether the issue of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina had come up during the meeting, Rahman said no specific bilateral matter had been discussed.

"We will discuss all the issues between our two countries in the coming days," he said.

BRICS invitation under review
Responding to a question on India's invitation to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, the foreign minister said the government was still reviewing the invitation.

"We are currently reviewing it. We will take a decision and inform you immediately once that decision is made," he said.

Rahman noted that the Prime Minister had received several invitations for overseas visits and was also scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"So, we have to consider all these engagements together," he added.

Referring to his recent meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in Manila, Rahman said both sides had expressed hope that Bangladesh and India would further strengthen bilateral relations.

US envoy's visit
The foreign minister also said US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, would visit Dhaka on an exploratory mission to gain a broader understanding of Bangladesh and its priorities.

"He will want to understand Bangladesh. He will speak not only with us but also with many other stakeholders," Rahman said.

He added that the envoy was expected to visit the Rohingya camps, noting that the United States remained the largest international contributor to the Rohingya humanitarian response.

Describing Bangladesh-US relations as "multidimensional", Rahman said both sides wanted to strengthen the partnership further.

Asked whether Dhaka was facing pressure on any issue, he replied: "We do not feel any kind of pressure." 
Rejecting suggestions that Bangladesh's growing engagement with China could affect its relations with other partners, Rahman said the country's foreign policy was not a zero-sum game. "Our relationship with one country is not a zero-sum game in the context of our relationship with another. We will never strengthen relations with one country at the expense of another," he said.

Rahman added that Bangladesh sought to deepen ties with all countries while safeguarding its national interests, noting that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to China had been "extremely successful".