We want the cooperation of India to put pressure on the Myanmar government to help the Rohingya return, says Hasina
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her address after the inauguration of Bangladesh Bhavan at Visva Bharati said there were problems which existed between India and Bangladesh but would be solved with talks.
"There can always be problems between two countries. Most of the problems which existed between India and Bangladesh had been solved and the little which remains would also be solved through talks. I don't want to bring those up on this pleasant occasion," she said.
She also brought up the Rohingya issue and said she would require the cooperation of India for solving the issue. "There are 11 lakh Rohingya who we have given shelter to on humanitarian grounds. They have been subject to a lot of atrocities and we could not refuse help to them when they crossed over to Bangladesh. We want the cooperation of India to put pressure on the Myanmar government to help the Rohingya return," she said.
She said in the past too India had helped Bangladesh. Citing the example of 1971, she said, "The Indira Gandhi government had given shelter to one crore Bangladeshis in India, had helped the Mukti Yodhhas with training and arms. In the recent past too, the Land Boundary Agreement was signed between the two countries and exchange of enclaves was done smoothly."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Bangladesh Bhavan, in future would become a pilgrimage place for students and researchers. "We have put up Nazrul Islam University, renamed Andal airport after Nazrul Islam, built Nazrul Tirtha and Academy and also intend to put up a Bangabandhu Bhavan whenever we get the opportunity," Mamata said.
Modi, who began his address in well-practiced Bengali, said while Bangladesh had put in money to put up Bangladesh Bhavan, India too had shouldered the responsibility of renovating Rabindranath Tagore's residence at Kustia in Bangladesh. He also said the Kolkata-Khulna train service was another step towards strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
After the inauguration, while Mamata left for Kolkata, Modi and Hasina met for half an hour for a bilateral meeting.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}