India, Bangladesh should fight terrorism, poverty together: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that India and Bangladesh should be united in their fight against poverty and terrorism and must seek to eradicate it as early as possible.

"We have common enemies and those have to be fought together. Our common enemy is poverty and together we have to fight that. Our common threats, which is also a global threat, are terrorism and fundamentalism," Sonowal said while addressing the inaugural programme of the eighth Round of India-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue here.

India Foundation in collaboration with State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA), Assam government, Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies (BFRS) and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS) is organising the Eighth Round of Indo-Bangladesh Friendship Dialogue here from July 2 to July 4.

The Dialogue aims to focus on discussing the changing dynamics of the global world order and the way forward for the peace, stability and prosperity of South Asia in general and India and Bangladesh in particular.

The working sessions between the Indian and the Bangladeshi delegates will discuss the dynamics of International Borders and Security, Water Security and Joint Basin Management, Energy Security, Cross Border Generation and Trade in Power and on Boosting Connectivity in the Region.

The technical session of the dialogue would see experts, scholars, former and serving diplomats including all the relevant stakeholders from both the nations discussing threadbare the nuts and bolts of the bilateral relationship.

Among other dignitaries who are attending the event include Minister of State for External Affairs, M. J. Akbar and State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, Mohammad Shahriar Alam and Dipok Kumar Barthakur Vice Chairman, State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA), Assam.

After the deliberations on multiple issues confronting the two nations, the valedictory session would effectively sum up the findings and observations made during the event in the form of a 'Guwahati Declaration' that would envisage the way forward for a more robust, mutually beneficial and cooperative relationship between India and Bangladesh.

Assam shares a crucial international border with Bangladesh and there is ample scope to harness and leverage upon the twin foundation of trade and connectivity for the state as well.

-ANI