Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Vikram Doraiswami on Sunday termed the celebration of Netaji's birth anniversary in the country as "very touching" as he hoped that the two friendly neighbours would come even closer in the future.

His remarks came in his address at seminar "Nobojagorone Netajir Adarsho", organised by the Netaji Janmobarshiki O Deshprem Dibosh Udjapan Parishad to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Bangladesh's Information Minister Hasan Mahmud paid rich tributes to Netaji and the 26,000 soldiers of the Azad Hind Fauj. He said the contribution of Netaji in the independence movement of the subcontinent will figure in history in golden letters.

"It is our pride that Netaji was a Bengali and our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu wrote in his 'Oshomapto Atmajiboni' that he was attracted to the leadership of Netaji from his childhood and inspired by him," said Mahmud, also is also Joint General Secretary of the ruling Awami League.

The minister also hailed the sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers in the War of Liberation of Bangladesh, the then Indian governments' role in giving shelter to one crore Bangladeshis and earlier then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's visits to 30 countries for creating awareness in favour of Bangladesh's independence.

Terming Bangladesh's friendship with India as most helpful, he said the cooperation of India is vital to his his country achieving development and progress under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Mahmud also noted that Bangladesh has some political forces whose main agenda is opposing India.

"The development of the country is not possible by keeping hostile relation with the neighbouring country which is surrounding three sides of Bangladesh. Actually, the people, who are doing politics considering opposing India as the main object, are going in wrong direction. Progress lies in friendship," he added.

"The development of the region will be possible as we (Bangladesh and India) are going ahead with friendship through strengthening the alliance and expanding our regional and people-to-people contacts. And we are working to this end."

He said that the friendship of the two countries has reached a new level under Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi.

"The 20 lakh coronavirus vaccines are a unique example of love and friendship. Many people of India have not got the vaccine till now, but it (vaccine) has reached Bangladesh. For this, I would like to thank the Indian government," he added.

(IANS)