Ready to back Land Boundary Agreement bill: Ghulam Nabi Azad

New Delhi: Congress will extend "wholehearted" support to NDA government for passage of a bill seeking ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh.

This was conveyed by Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad when he called on visiting Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid who is at present on a state visit to India.

Azad said India has always believed that a strong, stable and prosperous Bangladesh is in "our country's" interest and that "we remain fully committed to be a partner in the progress and prosperity of Bangladesh."

Responding to the urge of Bangladesh government for early ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement of 1974 and protocols thereof signed in September, 2011, Azad said the previous Congress-led UPA government introduced the Bill in the Rajya Sabha and remains committed to its early passage in Parliament.

"We introduced the Bill in Rajya Sabha to ensure that it does not lapse and as soon as the union government places the same before Parliament after taking into account the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Congress party will extend whole-hearted cooperation to the NDA government for its early passage," he told the visiting President.

Azad appreciated the security cooperation extended by Bangladesh and expressed hope that both the countries will continue to jointly combat the menace of insurgency, militancy and terrorism as these have emerged as a huge threat to peace and stability in the region.

Expressing satisfaction over the fact that the border guarding forces of the two countries share an excellent relationship and are working closely together for effective border management and de-criminalization of the border, Azad said he would like India-Bangladesh border to be an interface of friendship and peace.