Dhaka upbeat about stronger ties with Moscow
Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh is hopeful of strengthening bilateral ties in the upcoming days with Russia following the two-day visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as both sides covered all areas of potential cooperation in their talks.
Before wrapping up his visit in Dhaka Friday, Lavrov paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban and visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
During their talks at Ganabhaban, prime minister urged the Russian Foreign Minister to end Russia-Ukraine war through negotiations. PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher briefed the reporters after the meeting.
Apart from it, Lavrov placed a floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had a tour of the museum and signed the Visitors’ Book.
Minister for Science and Technology Arch. Yeafesh Osman, saw him off Friday afternoon at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
During the two-day visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, MP and attended a joint press briefing with him on Thursday evening.
Different ministers and MPs shared their expressions on tweeter over the visit of Lavrov in Dhaka.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam tweeted: “First ever visit by Foreign Minister of Russia. In an hour-long meeting followed by another hour of working dinner we covered all bilateral issues, Rohingya, Ukraine conflict, regional issues. Russia will continue supply Bangladesh with food grains, energy.
We also agreed on a road map to work towards duty free access of Bangladeshi exportable.”
Member of parliament Saber H Chowdhury tweeted: “First ever Foreign Minister visit to Bangladesh.
Over Working Dinner with Sergei Lavrov, other than strengthening bilateral coop, perspectives on global issues shared including imperative of making @COP28_UAE a success.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry on its official Facebook page mentioned that Russia is a time-tested friend of Bangladesh, highlighting the origins of this friendship in 1971 through the unique support of the then USSR during Bangladesh’s War of Independence.
Quoting the statement of Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, the ministry noted that the historic visit of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Moscow in March 1972 laid the foundation for bilateral relations between the two nations.
The USSR’s assistance in clearing mines from Chattogram Port after the War of Independence, at the request of Bangabandhu, played a crucial role in making the port operational again.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official visit to Russia in 2013, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has significantly consolidated bilateral relations between the two countries.
Foreign ministry also stated that the two sides also exchanged views on protracted war in Ukraine, Climate Change, global peace and security and cooperation in different international and regional fora, including the UN.
In a tweet, Russian Embassy on Friday noted: On September 7-8, FM Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Bangladesh, where he met with PM Sheikh Hasina and had talks with FM AK Abdul Momen.
The Parties discussed the state and prospects of further development of bilateral relations.
From Dhaka, Russian Foreign Minister reached Delhi on the same day to attend the G-20 Summit.
