Staff Correspondent:

Salman F Rahman hopes Sheikh Hasina’s first state visit to India after her reelection in January will strengthen Bangladesh’s relations with the South Asian neighbour.

The prime minister’s adviser on private industry and investment also reiterated the need to expand the horizon of economic cooperation with India to give a major boost to ties.

Bangladesh has a close relationship with India, supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina’s policy prioritising neighbours, Salman said in an interview with Indian news agency Asian News International or ANI.

“This visit is taking place in that spirit,” he told ANI.

He also said Bangladesh businesses should look at other areas of India.

“That’s something which we should [do]. We should expand our horizon. Many of the CEOs showed an interest in the energy, healthcare, FMCG, IT and agriculture sectors,” said the vice-chairman of conglomerate Beximco Group.

Salman and other members of her entourage joined Hasina in her meeting with an Indian business delegation on the first day of the visit on Friday.

She renewed her call to the Indian businesses to invest in Bangladesh.

On Saturday, Hasina met with Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Modi.

The two sides also signed seven new Memorandums of Understanding and renewed three others.