Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has stressed on resuming a direct flight between Dhaka and Guwahati as well as direct bus service between Sylhet and Silchar for promoting people-to-people contacts, boosting bilateral ties and ensuring collective prosperity in the region, officials here said on Wednesday.

Momen made the remarks when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma called on him at the foreign ministry on Tuesday, they said.

“The minister reiterated Bangladesh’s willingness for the new Dhaka-Guwahati air route alongside a direct bus service between Sylhet and Shilchar of India’s Assam,” a foreign ministry official said.

According to the official, Momen said the proposed air route and the bus service would promote regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts.

The proposal came as the aviation officials of the two countries were in discussion about the opening of the air route in view of demands of the people on both sides that had surfaced for the past several years.

Bangladesh currently has direct air routes with Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi.

A foreign ministry press release earlier said Minister Momen and the Indian diplomat discussed issues of mutual interest.

The minister also called for bolder solidarity with India to address the issues faced by the Global South to tackle the combined challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, the crisis in Europe, and financing for climate emergency and SDG implementation.

Momen thanked India for inviting Bangladesh to attend the G20 meetings as a Guest Country’ for the tenure of their G20 Presidency. He noted that this would uphold Dhaka’s image in the regional settings.

He also recalled with satisfaction the arrangements made by the Indian government during his visit to Silchar in Assam earlier this month to participate in the first edition of the Silchar-Sylhet Festival.

He said the prime ministers of both Bangladesh and India on numerous occasions have emphasised on building common platforms for promoting understanding and cooperation to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Following their guidance, this festival revisited the connection, heritage, historical cultural and linguistic affinity between the two countries in order to strengthen the age-old people-to-people ties, the release added.