Indian army chief on 5-day official visit to Bangladesh

DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Indian military chiefs in a bilateral meeting in capital Dhaka on Thursday discussed armed cooperation and training between the two closest neighbors, says a press statement.

"They talked over prevailing good relations and various aspects of mutual cooperation in future between the two military forces of both countries," says the statement.

Indian defense head General MM Naravane reached Bangladesh's capital Dhaka Thursday morning on a 5-day official visit.

On the first day, Naravane met with his Bangladeshi counterpart General Aziz Ahmed while he is scheduled to pay courtesy calls to the Navy and acting Air Force chiefs of Bangladesh and meet other senior officers of the Bangladesh Army, according to a press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

The Indian army chief will also join the army chiefs' conclave in Dhaka cantonment on April 11 and also attend some other functions.

On the occasion of the birth centenary and 50 years of independence, the Bangladesh army has been holding an international series of sessions entitled "Pioneer of Peace" on April 4-12, 2021.

During the talks, both military tops discussed progress in implementing the Border Roads Organization (BRO).

As of March 31, 2004, BRO was constructing or developing 553 General Staff (GS) roads, covering 20,663.50 km. The Organization is currently engaged in the construction of 140 major permanent bridges, mainly in the border states, according to the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The two military heads also talked about army aviators' training, the exchange of defense experts and trainers, and mutual military cooperation, the statement added.

The Indian army chief also handed over 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines of Oxford AstraZeneca produced in India to Bangladesh.

The leading Indian armed force accompanied by his spouse Veena Naravane and another two members will leave Dhaka on April 13.