Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma was invited as the guest of honour for a seminar on "Development of Chattogram through Enhanced Connectivity : Prospects and Challenges" on 26 August 2023 in Chattogram. The event was organized by the leading research organization Unmayan Shamannay in collaboration with Bangladesh-Bharat Itihash O Oitijjo Parishad and was presided over by Dr. Atiur Rahman, Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank. 

In his address, High Commissioner Verma emphasized the long-term significance of connectivity in facilitating closer economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties. With a contiguous geography and shared history and culture, he said, raising the scope and quality of connectivity is a common aspiration, as well as a driver of India’s growing partnership with Bangladesh. He pointed out that the future links between the two countries will be shaped by multimodal connectivity, including through road & rail, inland waterways, coastal shipping, as well as energy and digital connectivity. He emphasized the need for transforming the geographical proximity between India and Bangladesh into new economic opportunities through robust connectivity initiatives.

High Commissioner described the India-Bangladesh relations as rooted in the shared sacrifices of the Liberation War of 1971. He underlined that the connectivity initiatives between the two countries are also guided by that same spirit of mutual empathy and interdependence centered on the welfare and well-being of our peoples and our future generations.

The seminar was attended by senior government officials, top business leaders as well as a number of scholars, experts, mediapersons and other stakeholders.