Dhaka, Delhi can benefit from cooperation in security issues

Newly appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmad Tariq Karim presents his credentials to Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi yesterday. Photo: PIB of India

Bangladesh and India face the scourge of terrorism and can benefit from meaningful cooperation in security-related issues.
Newly appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmad Tariq Karim said this while presenting his credentials to Indian president Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi yesterday.
Karim said neither India nor Bangladesh could afford to allow forces that are unfriendly to each others' interests to grow or thrive in each other's territory.
Stressing the need for enhanced bilateral trade and economic relations, he said Bangladesh and India could particularly cooperate in minimising the power and energy gap, increasing exchange of goods and services and encouraging more investment.
In her response, the Indian president recalled her earlier meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during Saarc parliamentarians' conference and expressed confidence that Bangladesh would prosper at an accelerated pace under Hasina's dynamic leadership.
She extended an invitation to President Zillur Rahman to visit India at his earliest convenience.
The Bangladesh high commissioner, on behalf of the president, also invited Patil to visit Bangladesh.
According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India, the newly appointed ambassadors of the USA and Thailand to India also presented their credentials to Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In her interaction with the three envoys, Patil said terrorism constitutes a grave threat to world peace, prosperity and stability and that the international community needs to act swiftly and collectively to defeat it.
The president also said that India seeks friendly relations with all countries and to build cooperation in diverse sectors, including education.
She queried about steps being taken in the three countries to tackle H1N1 influenza.