President Shahabuddin urges India to play a bigger role in resolving Rohingya problem

President Mohammad Shahabuddin on Tuesday urged India to take more effective steps in persuading Myanmar to take the Rohingyas back home from Bangladesh for resolving the issue.

The president made the call when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma met him at Bangabhaban. Verma became the first foreign envoy to meet the president since he took office on 24 April.

Press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting.

President Shahabuddin said that Bangladesh has sheltered Rohingyas for humanitarian reasons, and their prolonged stay is creating problems not only for Bangladesh but for the entire region.

He expressed his gratefulness to India for the crucial support it had given to Bangladesh War of Liberation in 1971 led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He also shared his experience as a freedom fighter during the Liberation War and the training in India.

Shahabuddin stated that Bangladesh attaches highest importance to its relations with India which is so closely linked by geographical proximity, shared history and sacrifices.

He noted with satisfaction that India can now permanently use ports in Chattogram and Mongla for transporting goods from the mainland to its north-eastern states

"This will help boost the trade volume alongside the socio-economic development," he added.

He hoped that the two countries will continue working together in diverse areas for mutual benefit of their people and would also contribute in bringing peace and prosperity in the region.

He stated that Bangladesh-India bilateral ties have been strengthened by the unprecedented state visits by both the President and the Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh in 2021.

He hoped that the two countries would amicably resolve the unsettled issues between them, including the water sharing of common rivers, for greater benefit of the two peoples.

He also hoped that the trade deficit and the issues of trade barriers, would be addressed in a balanced manner.

The president said that the excellent relations between the two neighbourly countries would be elevated to an even newer height in the coming days and the two countries will continue to cooperate at different regional and multilateral forums.

In his remarks, the Indian high commissioner said India attaches highest importance to the relationship with Bangladesh.

"The connectivity between the two countries has increased manifold over the last 15 years. People of both countries are enjoying this," he said.

Praising Bangladesh's zero tolerance policy against terrorism and militancy, he said this  has brought stability in this region and is playing a positive role in economic development.