Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has extended her wishes to the people of India on the occasion of the Republic Day. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hasina noted that the year 2021 was a historic one for the India-Bangladesh relations. Bangladesh just celebrated its 50 years of independence last year.

Hasina also thanked Modi for participating in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in Dhaka in March last year. Modi during his visit described Bangladesh as a ‘soho jatri” or co-traveller. President Ram Nath Kovind too visited Dhaka in December to participate in the 16 December-Vijay Diwas celebration.

Apart from Modi and Kovind, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla were in Dhaka as well last year, which was otherwise marked by travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic.

Also read: Sheikh Mujib's Homecoming Day observed at Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi

Recalling India’s contribution during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Hasina also expressed hope that the two neighbours will continue working for the next 50 years and beyond towards building “a peaceful and prosperous region.” 

Modi and Hasina have repeatedly underlined the need to enhance connectivity, including people to people contact and economic cooperation between the two neighbours that share a 4,096-km long border—the fifth longest in the world.

India and Bangladesh also jointly celebrated Maitri Diwas on December 6. The day was observed not only in India and Bangladesh but in several capital cities across the world.

“The joint celebration of ‘Moitri Dibosh’ across the globe, held on 6th December, the day when India recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign and independent State in 1971, projected this special relationship,” Hasina said in her letter.

As many as 20 countries across the world, including Singapore, Belgium, Canada, Russia, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, the UK, France, Australia, Japan and Saudi Arabia among others are observing the Maitri Diwas.