Dhaka: Admitting "some ups and downs" in Indo-Bangla relations following recent statements by Indian leadership about the presence of illegal Bangladeshis in the country, Dhaka has said it hoped that exchange of visits by Ministers from both sides might take place for improvement of ties.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Morshed Khan said, "There are some ups and downs in Bangladesh relations with India, but it is nothing unusual," vernacular daily 'The Janakantha' said in a report on January 15.

"Relations with neighbours undergo changes for a number of reasons," he said, adding other works do not get suspended due to political utterances.

The Minister said visits at the level of Finance and Foreign Ministers to each other's country for improvement of relations could take place at any time.

About the presence of illegal Bangladeshis in India, Khan said, "It is Jyoti Basu (former West Bengal Chief Minister) or the current CM Buddhadev Bhattacharjee who may testify or make observation whether there exists two crore Bangladeshis in India. One should know that Bengali speaking people and Bangladeshis are not the same."

He said India had admitted that one crore Bangladeshi nationals, who went there during the war of liberation in 1971, had returned to their homeland, adding he cannot figure out how two crore illegal Bangladeshis were still in India.

Referring to Indo-Pak relations, Khan said, "Nothing could be achieved if the trend of blowing up of bilateral issues was not stopped," the report said.

On repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh, the Minister said it depended on the situation developing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan may take up the matter after resolving Afghan refugee problem, vernacular daily 'Prothom Alo' quoted him as saying.

The Minister said the number of stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh awaiting repatriation could be between four to five lakhs.

Khan also welcomed the expansion of South Asian Association for Regional Co- operation (SAARC) like that of European Union to make South Asian Union as proposed by External Minister Sinha days back in Delhi. But he said it has to be achieved through phases, along with making SAARC active.

PTI