By IANS,
New Delhi : Congratulating Sheikh Hasina on her electoral
victory in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday invited her to
visit India “at your earliest possible convenience”.
He said he would ask his “senior colleague External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible to personally convey our
good wishes”.
The prime minister had also called Hasina, president of the Awami League of
Bangladesh, Tuesday morning to congratulate her for her party’s landslide
victory – and hailed the return of democracy to Bangladesh after two years.
“I also take this opportunity to invite your excellency to visit India at
your earliest possible convenience. I am asking my senior colleague,
External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee, to visit Bangladesh as soon as possible to personally convey our
good wishes,” a statement issued here said.
“Please accept my heartiest congratulations on your electoral victory. The
successful conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections is a reflection of
the desire of the people of Bangladesh for democracy, development and
progress
“I am confident that under your leadership, Bangladesh will attain even
greater heights,” the statement said.
Noting that India and Bangladesh share historically close and friendly
relations, the prime minister said: “I wish to assure you of India’s
commitment to the further strengthening and deepening of our relations with
Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you towards this end for the
mutual benefit of our two peoples.”
“Please accept, Excellency; my best wishes for your good health and personal
well being and for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly
people of Bangladesh,” the statement said.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash in a statement here
said: “India congratulates the people of Bangladesh on the fair, peaceful
and free conduct of their general elections which mark the return to
multi-party democratic politics in a close and friendly neighbour”.
“The historic victory of the Awami League and the Grand Alliance led by
Sheikh Hasina is a major landmark in democratic politics in South Asia,” the
spokesperson added.
Alluding to the large turnout of voters, India termed the election “a
resounding victory for democracy”.
“India and Bangladesh share common values, a commitment to democracy and a
multi-faceted historical relationship, in every field of human endeavour,”
Prakash said.
“India looks forward to working closely with the newly elected government in
Bangladesh to further strengthen our bonds of friendship and cooperation in
the quest for peace and development,” he said.
With terrorism in the region a pressing concern, specially after the Mumbai
attacks, the victory of Sheikh Hasina has brought some comfort to New Delhi
as she took some tough steps against the anti-India militant groups when she
was in power in the mid-1990s.
In contrast, there was a sharp spike in militancy and Islamic fundamentalism
in Bangladesh during Khaleda Zia’s tenure.
In a stunning landslide victory, former premier Sheikh Hasina’s alliance
defeated her archrival and former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh
Nationalist Party-led four-party grouping in Monday’s elections that took
place after nearly two years of army-backed rule in Dhaka.
The grand alliance bagged 258 seats, which included 229 seats by Awami
League, in the 300-seat parliament, the Election Commission said in Dhaka.
The 61-year-old Sheikh Hasina, whose father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the
nation to independence, returned to power after spending months in custody
on murder and corruption charges.