Indian President wraps up his 3-day Bangladesh visit

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Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen saw him off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12.40pm, an official said. At 1.06pm, the special Air India flight carrying the President and his entourage departed, reports UNB.

The visit was of “historical significance”, given the 50th anniversary of the shared sacrifices of the people of the two countries during Bangladesh’s struggle for liberation in 1971.

This was the Indian President’s maiden visit to Bangladesh and also his first visit overseas since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education, and Rajdeep Roy, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) were part of the presidential delegation.

In March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too paid a landmark state visit to Bangladesh.

The key announcements made during the President’s visit included gifting of the Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition to the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka; announcement of the first occupant of the Bangabandhu Chair at Delhi University; and extension of the Nutan India-Bangladesh Maitree Muktijoddha Sontan Scholarship Scheme for five years.

A 1971-era MiG-21 aircraft was gifted to the National Museum of Bangladesh. A replica of the aircraft was also handed over by the Indian President to his Bangladeshi counterpart.

On Friday, the Indian President inaugurated the newly reconstructed ‘Sree Sree Ramna Kali Mandir’ in Dhaka, that had been destroyed in March 1971 by Pakistani forces.