India and Bangladesh must progress together: Indian HC

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DHAKA, Jan 26, 2021 (BSS) – Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami today said India and Bangladesh must progress together as it is the ‘larger direction’ of New Delhi-Dhaka friendship.

“We believe that India and Bangladesh must progress together and so, even in the time of this (pandemic) crisis, we have wanted to work as closely as possible,” he told reporters while celebrating India’s 72nd Republic Day on the high commission premises here in the capital.

He said Bangladesh is one of the first countries where India sent vaccines despite having considerable demand from other countries to procure Indian vaccines.

Doraiswami said India wanted to ensure fastest vaccine delivery to Bangladesh as New Delhi considered it as its fundamental interest.

“India can’t get immunity alone without immunity in its closest friendly countries — Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan,” he said.

Replying a question, he said availability of the Indian company Bharat Biotech-made COVID-19 vaccine here is subject to the clearance from Bangladesh government.

“That is of course your government’s decision. We are ready to do anything in Bangladesh…anything that you want,” he added.

On January 21, India first handed over 20 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine, developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India while the 50 lakh doses, the first consignment of the contracted three crore doses of the vaccine, arrived here on Monday.

The envoy also expressed optimism to reopen issuing of Indian tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals as soon as possible.

Currently, India and Bangladesh are issuing visas for patients, students and emergency personnel for people of both the countries.

During the celebration of the republic day, attended by Indian community living here, Doraiswami red out the message of Indian president Ram Nath Kovind.