Bangladesh to improve bilateral ties with India: Foreign Advisor

Dhaka, Feb 1 (UNI) Foreign Affairs Advisor Ifftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury today affirmed Bangladesh's willingness to further improve its relations with India, observing that the agreement with an Indian company to set up a power plant is a testimony to it.

The Bangladesh government yesterday signed a Tk 1,133 crore (One US dollar equivalent to Tk 69) agreement with Bharat Heavy Electric Limited (BHEL) to build a 240-MW power plant in the country.

Briefing the media, Mr Chowdhury said Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to arrive in Dhaka in the middle of this month to invite Bangladesh to attend the 14th SAARC summit to be held in New Delhi on April 3-4.

The Chief Advisor of the caretaker government, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, will lead the Bangladesh delegation to the summit.

Mr Chowdhury said Bangladesh will establish diplomatic ties with Macedonia and San Marino while Spain is likely to open its mission in Dhaka within the next six months.

Asked about diplomatic ties with Israel, he said the main reason of the conflict in West Asia is Palestine and Bangladesh wants a quick resolution of the problem.

'' Bangladesh has very well pronounced principled position on Palestine, and we shall do everything possible at the bilateral, national and international level to assist to resolve this issue'', he said.

UNI