Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has joined Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in celebrating the nation’s 50 years of independence and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary.
Modi arrived in Dhaka on Friday morning, embarking on a two-day visit to Bangladesh, his first foreign diplomatic visit since the pandemic broke out in 2020, reports bdnews24.com.
Modi arrived at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka to the cheers of guests on Friday afternoon. Moments later, Bangladesh’s national anthem chorused by singers opened the celebrations.
Over the next two days, Modi is set to hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Hasina.
On the eve of his visit, Modi said he would hold “substantive discussions” with Hasina over the next two days. He is also expected to call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid during the visit.
“I am happy that my first foreign visit after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic will be to our friendly neighbouring country, with which India shares deep cultural, linguistic and people-to-people ties,” Modi said in a statement before his departure from India.
A range of pacts will be signed, and new announcements for bolstering cooperation in several areas will be made during his two-day visit, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said.
Earlier in the day, Hasina greeted Modi at Shahjalal International Airport on his arrival in Dhaka.
“Our partnership with Bangladesh is an important pillar of our Neighbourhood First policy, and we are committed to further deepen and diversify it. We will continue to support Bangladesh's remarkable development journey, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dynamic leadership,” Modi tweeted ahead of his arrival.
TRIBUTES TO MARTYRS
The Indian premier visited the National Memorial at Savar to pay respects to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.
He went to the memorial from the airport and placed a wreath. He also stood in silence for some time.
Modi started for Dhaka after planting an Arjun sapling at the premises of the memorial and signing the visitors’ book.
His office tweeted photos of him visiting the memorial.