India’s High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, said political tensions between Bangladesh and India would persist but would not affect the economy. He made the remarks to journalists after a meeting with Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir at about 11am on Monday. Trivedi said relations between the two countries would improve further in the future.

The high commissioner said politics would follow its own course, while Bangladesh and India must continue advancing their relationship. He described the people of both countries as highly talented and said young people in Bangladesh and India have many aspirations. He said it is everyone’s responsibility to do what is necessary to help fulfil those aspirations.

Trivedi said Bangladesh and India are two independent and sovereign countries, with neither being larger nor smaller than the other. He said both sides are equal and should continue working on the basis of that equality. The source did not provide details of the discussions held with the commerce minister or specify any economic initiatives arising from the meeting.