By Sumi Khan

Dhaka, Feb 15 (IANS): Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami on Monday said that Bangladesh is India's true and special friend and the friendship is the cornerstone of India's Foreign Policy.

Doraiswami said: "India never showed any 'big-brother' attitude towards Bangladesh. We will do our best to carry forward our committment of strong relations with Bangladesh with 170 million people."

The High Commissioner spoke on various aspects of the relationship between the two nations from connectivity to trade, water sharing, border killings, among others.

Doraiswami further said that India is working hard on the Teesta agreement. It is not only a matter of the Centre but the state government is also involved in it.

"Complexity of the Teesta problem is a domestic challenge for India."

He made the statement at at the National Press Club organised by the Diplomatic Correspondent Association of Bangladesh (DCAB).

The Indian Envoy also expressed happiness over offering Covid vaccines to Bangladesh Armed Forces.

"We have offered the vaccines to the country. We will be happy to provide the doses to Bangladesh Armed Forces."

Doraiswami also said that Bangladesh and India are working on finalising a slew of projects that will be inaugurated during the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh on March 26.

Replying to the connectivity project using the Chittagong Port and Akhaura-Agartala route to be made operationalised, he said that a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) is needed to the issue and India wants a fair price. The cost of goods transport needs to be finalised first.