DHAKA: Indian high commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran has praised Bangladesh as a land of prospect with enduring development efforts.

The Indian diplomat made the observation while addressing a pre-departure interaction with the members of the delegation at city’s Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre organised by the high commission Sunday afternoon.

Paying honour to Bangladesh war of independence in 1971, Saran said, “Bangladesh is a power and has been making tremendous success since its independence and it will be enhanced by the younger generations.”

Abhijit Chattopadhyay, Second Secretary (Press, Information & Culture) at High Commission, conducted the programme while it was attended, among others, by First Secretary (Political and Information) Sujit Ghosh, Second Secretary (Political and Information) Siddhartho Chattopadhyay, Shakib Al Hasan and Joya Ahsan.

In association with Indian government’s Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, the high commission is organising the hundred-member Bangladesh Youth Delegation to visit India from October 21 - 28, 2013.

This initiative is a part of Indian government’s policy to further strengthen the people-to-people contacts and exchanges views between the two neighbouring countries.

The youth delegation will visit different places in India, including New Delhi, Agra, Bengaluru and Mysore.

They will visit different well-known cultural and historical sites in India apart from holding interactions with people at educational, business, IT and technological institutions.

They are also expected to call on Indian president Pranab Mukherjee.

World no-1 cricket all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and actor Jaya Ahsan, among others, attended the event.

BDST: 2130 HRS, OCT 20, 2013
MJM/RoR/RIS