India most important ally and neighbour: Advisor to Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first foreign visit during the pandemic to Bangladesh on 26-27 March was historic and transformative, ushering in a new golden chapter in Delhi-dhaka ties. In a free-wheeling interview at his home in Dhaka during PM Modi’s visit, Dr Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, underlined the centrality of India to Bangladesh’s economic and global aspirations. Dr Rizvi, a well-known author and academic, rejected any attempt by Bangladesh’s leadership to play India against

China as “outrageous” and stressed that Dhaka will like to benefit from India’s rising global stature. Excerpts:

Q: What’s the overarching message coming out of the 26-27 March visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh? What was so special about this visit?

A: This has two important dimensions. First is Prime Minister Modi coming here to celebrate with us the centenary of the birth of Bangabandhu and centenaries are always very important. When it is the centenary of the Father of the Nation, it is particularly important that PM Modi has personally chosen to come to Bangladesh, to join us, to celebrate with us, to share our happiness. The fact that this is the first time Prime Minister Modi has stepped out of India during the pandemic in itself shows how much importance he attaches to nurturing relations with Bangladesh. His visit was full of special gestures. During his visit, PM Modi personally handed over the Gandhi Peace Prize, awarded posthumously to Bangabandhu, to Sheikh Hasina and her sister.

During his visit, he also announced the gift of 109 ambulances for Bangladesh. There is a chair being named after Bangabandhu in Delhi University. These are very significant gestures. In addition to that, he went to

Visitors look at elephants taking a bath at a zoo, after it reopened for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, in New Delhi, on Friday.