India, Bangladesh resolve to fight scourge of terror together

"We are both determined to protect our societies from the threat of ideologies of hate, violence and terror by adopting a zero-tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach to fighting violent extremism and terrorism at all levels," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said after talks with the Bangladeshi side as part of the fourth Joint Consultative Commission.

"We discussed the common challenges that we face today. One such challenge is that of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation and we will continue to fight this scourge together and along with other like-minded countries," Swaraj said.

Swaraj, who arrived here on a two-day visit, said: "India has been a longstanding and reliable development partner of Bangladesh".

"Three lines of credit amounting to USD 8 billion have been extended by India to Bangladesh so far. This is by far the largest development assistance that India has extended to any country worldwide," she said.

India has also been extending grant assistance for small socio-economic projects in Bangladesh. In the past three years alone, 24 such grant projects have been completed which include construction of students' hostels, tube-wells, cultural centres, and orphanages among others. Presently 58 plans, including city development projects in Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet, are under implementation, she said. To facilitate people-to-people contacts, she said the Indian Mission and Posts in Bangladesh issued 9.76 lakh visas in 2016, and these are expected to grow to about 14 lakh visas in 2017.

Swaraj said India would also offer five-year multiple entry visas for Bangladeshi freedom fighters and is planning a scheme for their medical treatment in India.

She will also hand over some memorabilia of the 1971 liberation war to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be displayed in museums.