Over 1,500 Bangladesh civil services officers are likely to be trained in the next three years in different Indian institutions, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said here today.
Interacting with visiting Bangladeshi Minister Begum Ismat Ara Sadique, who had called upon him here, the Minister expressed satisfaction over growth in bilateral relations between the two nations.
Referring to traditional ties between India and Bangladesh, Singh said that it was a matter of great satisfaction that in recent times the bilateral relations had grown further at all levels and today India is also making a huge contribution by way of offering training to Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) officers.
He said, as a part of this initiative, over 500 BCS officers and 40 Bangladesh police offices have already received training in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie and other places, and the target is to train 1,500 BCS officers over a period of three years, a release issued by the Minister's office said.
In addition, 35 Bangladesh scientists have successfully finished a course in civil nuclear sector in India, said Singh, Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
On the request of Bangladesh government, he said India has also offered courses to Bangladesh officials in other departments and institutions like customs, railway, election commission and fire services.
Sadique, who holds the portfolio of Public Administration there, thanked India for its generous and unlimited help in all these spheres.
Sadique said that during her tour of India she visited LBSNAA where she was glad to see civil service officers from Bangladesh training to improve their skills in governance.
The ministers discussed a number of issues relating to Indo-Bangladesh relations besides hailing the Narendra Modi government's initiative to finalise Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh which would enable exchange of enclaves by the two countries.
The Parliament here today cleared a bill to ratify the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh.
Extending an invitation to Singh to visit Dhaka, Sadique said she hoped that in the years to come the Indian and the Bangladeshi societies which already have much in common will get further closer to each other.
She was accompanied, among others, by Syed Mauzzem Ali, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Delhi, Nahid Rashid, Counsellor (Commerce), Bangladesh and Dr Abdul Hamid, Deputy Secretary, Bangladesh Ministry of Public Administration.
