By IANS,
New Delhi : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday condoled the death of veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu, terming him as one of the “leading political figures in the sub-continent”.
“Jyoti Basu, one of the leading political figures in the sub-continent for decades, was a great friend and well wisher of Bangladesh,” Hasina said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressing her “deep shock and profound sorrow”.
The letter was released here by the Bangladesh High Commission.
Basu, who was West Bengal chief minister for 23 years, died in AMRI hospital in Kolkata at 11.47 a.m. Sunday after a long illness.
Hasina said Basu’s death was a “great loss, not only for India but also for the region as a whole”.
“On this sad occasion, we recall with deep gratitude Basu’s enormous support to our war of liberation in 1971. I also remember his role and personal initiative in strengthening the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India, particularly, the efforts he made for the conclusion of the Ganges water-sharing treaty in 1996,” Hasina said.
She conveyed her and Bangladesh government’s “heartfelt” condolences to the bereaved family.
Hasina was scheduled to call on ailing Basu during her three-day visit to India earlier this month. However, her visit to Kolkata and Shanti Niketan were cancelled.