Bangladesh top priority among neighbours: Sushma

Dhaka, Oct 23 (IANS) Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that Bangladesh gets priority among all of India's neighbours and bilateral ties were moving ahead at a fast pace.

She also laid emphasis on investing in youth saying they are the future leaders of the two nations.

She was addressing a programme after the inauguration of the Chancery Complex of the Indian High Commission and 15 other projects in Bangladesh funded by India at a cost of Tk 71.64 crore, the Daily Star reported.

According to bdnews24.com, the projects cover sectors such as education, healthcare, IT, water supply and social welfare.

Eleven water treatment plants are being built in southern Bhandaria Upazila in Pirojpur that will provide desalinated potable drinking water to 150,000 citizens. Some 36 community clinics will also be built.

Those projects also include reconstruction of the Ramna Kali Temple which was destroyed by the invading Pakistani forces in 1971.

The project includes construction of the main temple, a five-storey guesthouse, a deep tube-well in the temple premises and the construction of the main entry gate of the temple.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Prime Minister's Political Affairs Adviser H.T. Imam, Foreign Secretary M. Shahidul Haque and Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla were present at Monday's event.

Sushma Swaraj, who arrived in Dhaka on Sunday, held the Fourth Joint Consultative Commission meeting with her Bangladesh counterpart Mahmood Ali and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

She leaves Dhaka later on Monday.