Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said development work cannot move forward if the country remains preoccupied with its past.

“The past cannot be forgotten. But neither can we remain stuck in the past,” Trivedi told journalists after a meeting with Local Government Minister Abdul Moin Khan at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

Asked about Bangladesh’s domestic politics, the Indian High Commissioner said he did not want to comment on internal political matters.

“I should not speak on this. Whatever the people of Bangladesh think is best, that will happen. The party that has won two-thirds of the seats is in power, and they understand the situation in their country well,” he said.

State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam said the meeting discussed local government elections. Trivedi shared India’s experience of holding local elections, he said, adding that the High Commissioner had experience in this area.

The state minister said local government elections would be held in Bangladesh during the current fiscal year and that the polls would be challenging as the government would have to ensure a free and fair election.

Trivedi said strengthening direct people-to-people ties between the two countries was a key priority.

“Our main objective is our direct relationship with the people of the two countries. That will always remain. If I am not here, someone else will come. The decision will remain the same,” he said.

“We make decisions, and those decisions affect ordinary people. Therefore, our responsibility is to do what is best for ordinary people,” Trivedi said.

He also stressed the importance of the two countries’ relationship as neighbours.

“As neighbours, our responsibility increases. We are all equal. No one is bigger and no one is smaller,” he said.

Trivedi said he had learnt a great deal during the 30-minute meeting with the local government minister.

Responding to another question, he acknowledged that challenges would remain and said both sides would have to move forward while keeping those challenges in mind. He added that the meeting also discussed free trade between the two countries.

Asked whether there had been any discussion about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India, Trivedi did not respond. He instead stressed the importance of the two countries working together.