Kathmandu, Apr. 8: President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba exchanged greetings with their Bangladeshi counterparts while marking the special occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries on Friday.

On this occasion, President Bhandari extended the warmest congratulations to the Bangladeshi President, Mohammad Abdul Hamid, and to the government and people of Bangladesh.

The President happily recalled that Nepal was one of the earliest countries to recognize Bangladesh’s independence five decades ago and expressed satisfaction at the excellent state of Nepal-Bangladesh relations reinforced by growing cooperation in the areas of trade, tourism, energy, culture and education.

President Bhandari also recalled her State Visit to Bangladesh in March 2021 on the occasion of the celebration of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, and expressed the confidence that Nepal-Bangladesh bilateral cooperation would continue to grow and deepen in the days to come, according to a press statement released by Foreign Ministry on Friday.

Similarly, Prime Minister Deuba sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. While extending warm greetings to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Prime Minister Deuba shared his happiness that Nepal and Bangladesh are celebrating the 50th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Prime Minister stated that Nepal and Bangladesh have been advancing collaboration and partnership in trade, tourism, energy and connectivity among others offering new and vast potentials for mutual benefit. The Prime Minister further mentioned that Nepal and Bangladesh have been working in close cooperation, both at regional platforms such as SAARC, BIMSTEC and BBIN and at multilateral forums such as UN and WTO on matters of mutual interests including climate change, sustainable development, multilateral trade and public health.

Similarly, President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, in his congratulatory message to President Bhandari, expressed satisfaction over growing trade and economic relations between the two countries. While appreciating the fact that both countries have been maintaining very close relations, the Bangladeshi President also fondly recalled his official goodwill visit to Nepal in 2019.

He also expressed confidence that Nepal and Bangladesh would continue to work together for the attainment of shared vision of prosperity and development for both countries and peoples.

Moreover, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina, in her congratulatory message to Prime Minister Deuba, mentioned that Nepal’s early recognition to Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign nation and subsequent establishment of diplomatic relations on 8 April 1972 was a reflection of close friendship between the two countries.

While highlighting the shared socio-cultural linkages and multitude of commonalities that have developed over the years through mutual support and cooperation between the two countries, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister also expressed her commitment to work together with Nepal to further strengthen bilateral ties in areas of trade, investment, connectivity, energy cooperation and tourism, added the press statement.

Nepal and Bangladesh had established diplomatic relations on 8 April 1972.