Indian premier Narendra Modi reassures Hasina over NRC

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reassured his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina over the National Registration of Citizens (NRC) issue saying that this is India’s internal matter.

Prime Minister Modi explained to Prime Minister Hasina the process that India has put up in terms of making sure that everybody will be included through the process, said Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque while briefing reporters about the outcomes of the bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers in New Delhi.

In New York last month, Modi also assured Hasina that the NRC in India will have no impact on Bangladesh and there is no need to be worried about it.

India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday told reporters in New Delhi that India’s position on this is very clear and it is an ongoing exercise.

Kumar said they have been saying that the NRC was Supreme Court-mandated and monitored the process and it is important to understand that the due process has to be completed first. The Foreign Secretary said the relationship between Bangladesh and Dhaka is at its best, extremely warm and friendly.

Discussing the Rohingya issues, Hasina urged Modi to convince Myanmar to take back its forcibly displaced Rohingyas to their homeland in the Rakhine state of Myanmar cashing in on their very good relations and various engagements with Myanmar, he added.

“The two leaders discussed the Rohingya issue during the talks and they (two PMs) have agreed that Rohingyas should go back to their homeland in Rakhine in Myanmar,” Shahidul said.

He said seven issues -- Rohingya, water-sharing, blue economy, NRC, connectivity, business and trade; and education, youth and culture -- were prominently featured at the talks between the two prime ministers.

About connectivity, the Foreign Secretary said the two leaders talked about the ways to strengthen both the mental and physical connectivity for boosting the trade and commerce between the two countries.  

They are now looking at six common rivers' water-sharing which will also ensure benefits for the people of the two countries through sustainable use of water, he said.

Prime Minister Hasina has invited Narendra Modi to visit Bangladesh next year marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.    

In response, Modi hinted that he may visit Bangladesh next year.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were present at the briefing.