Indian minister: Meeting with PM Hasina extremely fruitful

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he had an extremely fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After the meeting, the Indian minister tweeted: "Had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka today. We discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest." 

Had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka today. We discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. pic.twitter.com/AgDKfCCMMq

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 14, 2018

Rajnath, who is currently visiting Bangladesh, said the processing of visa applications for Bangladeshi applicants will be simplified with the opening of the state-of-the-art Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka.

"With the opening of this Centre, the processing of visa applications will be simplified," he tweeted after inaugurating the largest ever Indian visa centre in Bangladesh jointly with his Bangladesh counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan.

Inaugurated the state of the art Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Dhaka. With the opening of this Centre the processing of visa applications will be simplified. pic.twitter.com/HNIdetNgu9

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 14, 2018

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka issued 1,400,000 visas in 2017 while some 9,076,000 visas were issued in 2016, reports the UNB. Today, Bangladeshi people constitute the largest number of visitors to India.

The new integrated visa centre, with all the facilities in place, will issue 5000 visas on average every day and the visa applicants will be treated as guests.

Earlier on Friday, Rajnath said Bangladesh and India have made notable progress in transforming land and maritime boundaries into zones of peace and tranquility.

Also Read - Dhaka, Delhi to discuss security, border cooperation Sunday

He said India is looking forward to strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries on the basis of friendship and trust.

The Indian minister arrived in Dhaka on a three-day official visit on Friday. 

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and his Indian counterpart Rajnath will co-chair the sixth meeting of Bangladesh-India Home Minister level talks at the Home Ministry. The talks will begin at 10:30am on Sunday.

The ministers are expected to discuss issues related to security, border management, cooperation in countering illegal activities and travel arrangements, officials said.