Dr Rajib Ranjan, Assistant High Commissioner of India to Chattogram paid a courtesy call on former Chattogram City Corporation Mayor M Manzur Alam.
His wife Sushmita Ranjan was also present during the courtesy meet at Manzur Alam's residence in North Kattoli on Friday night. Manzur Alam hosted a reception and dinner in honour of the Assistant High Commissioner and his family.
Manzur Alam said, ‘Our neighbouring country is India. Bangladesh has a good relationship with the country. India was the first country to recognize Bangladesh after its independence in 1971.
I want the relations between the two countries to be more friendly and developed. Every year a large number of people from Bangladesh and Chattogram go to India for travel and medical treatment.
Due to the large number of visa applicants from Chattogram, there are many delays in obtaining visas. There is a need to increase the number of flights to Chattogram-Kolkata and different provinces of India, to make it easier for them to obtain visas, and to facilitate multiple visas for 5 years due to business and medical reasons. At the same time India-Bangladesh communication system, business system of both the countries need to be further improved and facilitated.
He said Bangladesh is now making great strides in various fields including garment making, leather industry and technology. The mega project Padma Bridge will be opened for traffic soon. The construction of tunnel along the bottom of Karnafhuli River is nearing completion. In a word, Bangladesh is now making rapid progress overall. There is now a golden opportunity for Indian businessmen to invest in Bangladesh. At the same time, importance should be given to easy marketing of Bangladeshi products in India.
The Assistant High Commissioner said, "Bangladesh is a friendly country of India. India has always maintained good relations with its neighbours. Bangladesh's relationship with India is very deep and long lasting. Bangladesh is not lagging behind in any way now. Bangladesh is advancing rapidly, including education, trade and infrastructure development. We are now facilitating Bangladeshis to obtain Indian visas and multiple visas. From now on, multiple visas will be processed for Chattogram residents from city at a higher rate.
Taher Group Chairman MA Taher, Mostafa-Hakim Group Director Nizamul Alam Raju, Mohammad Sarwar Alam, Mohammad Farooq Azam, Mohammad Saiful Alam, Mohammad Sahidul Alam, various businessmen, people from different walks of life, representatives of all the temples of Kattli, Uttar Kattoli Mostafa Hakim College Principal Mohammad Alamgir, Vice Principal Mahfuzul Haque Chowdhury and senior officials of the Indian Embassy in Chattogram were present on the occasion.