Continuing with India’s proactive diplomacy with Bangladesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dialled his counterpart Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka and discussed the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. The telephonic conversation was initiated by Mr. Modi who conveyed greetings of the holy month of Ramadan to the people of Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina. Mr. Modi and Ms .Hasina assessed the status of implementation of the measures taken to deal with the pandemic which has affected more than 30,000 people in India and around 7,000 in Bangladesh. “Both the leaders expressed satisfaction at continuation of supply of essential items across the border through road, rail, inlnd waterways and air,” said a press release from the Indian side.
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Bangladesh like India has been in a lockdown though it has allowed essential supplies and transport with India whenever necessary. It has also flown several flights to India to evacuate a large number of its nationals stranded because of the lockdown. Mr. Modi and Sheikh Hasina were part of the March 15 teleconference that led to the formation of the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund which has been used to deal with the outbreak in South Asia.
Diplomatic sources indicated that the call shows a continued Indian desire to address the damage to ties sustained during the 2019 election campaign and subsequently by the shrill campaign from sections of the ruling establishment in India during the CAA and NRC episodes. “It appears like Prime Minister Modi’s continued attempts to keep ties with Bangladesh warm after last year’s difficulties,” said a diplomatic source.
