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Mukherjee is trying to convince Bangladeshi officials that their country can be a bridge in Asia
A homemade low-impact bomb was hurled from two people on a motorcycle exploding outside the Sonargaon Pan-Pacific Hotel in the capital Dhaka where Indian President Pranab Mukherjee is staying as part of his three-day visit to Bangladesh.
Police officials told the media that no one was injured. It was not known whether Mukherjee was in the hotel at the time.
President Mukherjee’s visit comes at a time when the neighbouring country has been witnessing violent clashes over the death sentence given to a top Islamist opposition leader for his role in atrocities during the 1971 liberation war, in which over 60 people were killed since Thursday.
Sources said that during his visit Mukherjee met with his Bangladesh counterpart Mohammed Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina. At press time, opposition leader Khalida Zia had bowed out from meeting the Indian president.
Mukherjee has been urging Bangladesh to grant transit and connectivity to India, saying that this would facilitate greater integration in South and South East Asia.
Bangladesh can play a geostrategic role as a bridge between South and South East Asia, he said.
“Apart from the potential of its resources on land and sea, the geographical location of Bangladesh is an advantage that must be fully explored and exploited,” Mukherjee said in a public.
India and Bangladesh last month signed a liberalised visa agreement and an extradition treaty.
Xinhua and Agencies
