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Modi to visit Bangladesh this month, will launch more trading points, connectivity projects

Published

5 years ago

2021/03/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

BY S. VENKAT NARAYAN,

Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dhaka on March 26-27 for the centenary celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, the father of the nation, the 50th anniversary of the birth of Bangladesh, and five decades of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh.

Among the key takeaways from the visit are the launch of more border trading points between the two contiguous neighbours and connectivity projects linking India and Bangladesh.

Ahead of Modi’s visit, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Dhaka last Thursday to firm up the agenda and possible deliverables, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Bangladesh is currently India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia. India’s exports to Bangladesh in FY2018-19 stood at $ 9.21 billion and imports from Bangladesh during the same period were $1.04 billion.

Bangladesh marks Modi’s first visit abroad after a year when the Covid-19 pandemic brought all physical trips and meetings to a halt. This underlines the special place the eastern neighbour occupies in New Delhi’s “neighbourhood first” policy.

Ties with Dhaka have been described by officials as the “vital cog” in the “neighbourhood first” initiative. Dhaka is India’s biggest development partner in South Asia. New Delhi extended three lines of credit worth $8 billion in the past eight years for development of roads, railways, shipping, ports and other infrastructure.

Modi will inaugurate more “border haats” or trading markets. Last week, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran visited Assam and Meghalaya. In Meghalaya, he discussed the possibility of opening up new trading points along their common border. There are already four such points each in Meghalaya and Tripura.

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Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/23

Priyan

Bus fares have been increased by 12.19% with effect from midnight today [23rd March 2026].

The minimum fare will be increased from Rs 27 to Rs 30 while the maximum fare of Rs2159/- will be increased to 2422/-

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Published

10 hours ago

2026/03/23

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The Acting Commissioner General of Registration of Persons has announced that due to an unexpected failure of the computer system of the Department of Registration of Persons, all services, including the one day service will not be held on Tuesday (24th March) at the Head Office and all Provincial offices.

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

19 hours ago

2026/03/23

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 22 March 2026, valid for 23 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.