DATELINE DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on December 6, 2021, committed to working together to deepen ties, all across the board, between the two neighbors as they celebrated “Maitri Divas (Friendship Day)”.

In a video message to her counterpart, PM Hasina said that the relationship between Bangladesh and India is anchored in history, culture, language, and shared values of secularism, democracy, and countless other commonalities, and now the two countries now should concentrate on people-to-people contact, trade, business, and connectivity.

“Our partnership is not confined to treaties, MoUs, bilateral agreements that provide the formal structures for our working relations. Today, our broad partnership has matured, taking dynamic, comprehensive and strategic shape, and is based on sovereignty, equality, trust and mutual respect.

“Our bonds of friendship have further been strengthened, diversified and expanded in recent years due to regular high-level political interactions and exchanges,” she said. PM Sheikh Hasina recalled the generosity of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her government, leaders of other political parties, and overall, the people of India towards the people of Bangladesh in 1971. They provided accommodation to 10 million refugees from Bangladesh, gave space for the Mujibnagar government and waged a diplomatic campaign in favor of Bangladesh, she said.