PM Hasina doing miracle in building 'Shonar Bangla,' says Bangladesh Envoy

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali on Thursday said that his country was on the fast track to become a 'Shonar Bangla' or Golden Bengal under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is doing a miracle in her mission of building a Shonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) that was the dream of 'Bangabandhu' and former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," said Bangladesh High Commissioner.

Addressing a seminar commemorating Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, organised jointly by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and India Foundation at JNU, the Bangladesh Envoy said that Bangabandhu's bold and visionary leadership showed Bangladesh how to stand up from a war-ravaged situation.

"The contributions of these two great leaders of Bangladesh, the father and the daughter, have been best described by none other than Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who said, "Bangabandhu founded Bangladesh and his daughter Sheikh Hasina saved it," Muazzem Ali said at the event.

Recalling the dynamic leadership of the current Prime Minister, he further said that Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the world with 7.86 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

"Bangladesh is now often mentioned as a 'model of economic development.' Recently we have qualified for the graduation from LDC or least developed country status to the status of a Middle Income Country. Our ultimate pursuit is to emerge as a developed country by 2041," added Muazzem Ali said.

The Envoy also paid homage to the brave Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives while participating in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He also told the seminar that the Bangladesh Premier during her last visit to India in April 2017 honoured members of the families of the Indian martyrs through an unprecedented honour giving ceremony in Delhi. "Some more families of the war martyrs will be honoured at the upcoming Victory Day on December 16 at the Eastern Command in Kolkata," the Envoy further added.

Bangladesh and India have been able to further consolidate the friendly bilateral relations to a new level which is well beyond the "strategic partnership," under the leadership of our two Prime Ministers, the Envoy stressed.

"We count on India's assistance in furthering our successes. Together we would build cherished 'Shonar Bangla.' That would be the best tribute we can pay to our martyrs and freedom fighters. And off-course Bangladesh's success will be your success, as you were directly involved in the birth of our nation," he added. JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and India Foundation director Major General (Retd) Dhruv Katoch also spoke on the occasion.