India, Bangladesh share deep ties; no one can undermine our bilateral relations — Shah

PETRAPOLE — Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that India and Bangladesh share deep ties, with a history of intertwined culture and language, and as such, no one can undermine the good bilateral relations between the two nations.

Shah was on a visit to the India-Bangladesh border at Petrapole in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects of the Land Ports Authority of India and the Border Security Force (BSF).

“India shares deep ties with Bangladesh. Our culture, religion, customs and lifestyle have been intertwined for thousands of years. No one can ever break our ties with Bangladesh. India has played a key role in Bangladesh’s history. The BSF has played a major role in the Liberation War of 1971,” he said at the programme.

Lauding the role of the Land Ports Authority of India in strengthening relations with neighbours, Shah said that trade of INR 18,000 crore, through the Authority, in the financial year 2016-17 has now crossed INR 30,000 crore.

“The Land Ports Authority of India not only strengthens the country’s economy but also acts as an ambassador of the nation at our borders. It helps strengthen our bilateral relations with our neighbours,” he said.

Shah said the BJP government at the Centre, since 2014, has stressed on improving border infrastructure and connectivity.

“Our policy is clear. We want strong infrastructure and better connectivity in bordering areas to boost business and trade,” he said.

He lauded the role of the BSF in guarding the nation’s borders.