Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to visit Bangladesh and take a tour of the newly constructed Padma bridge, an Indian official told the media on Tuesday.
In a communication to Banerjee dated July 12, Sheikh Hasina stressed the importance of the newly constructed multipurpose bridge in enhancing ties between Bangladesh and India as well as with West Bengal, PTI reported citing the official.
The Bangladesh premier said that she is quite hopeful that the new bridge will open up new avenues to consolidate the economic ties between the two countries.
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"I believe that the Padma multipurpose bridge will strengthen the spiritual ties between Bangladesh and India and also with West Bengal. It will also open new doors of possibilities for commercial relations between the two nations," Sheikh Hasina wrote in her letter.
The 6.15 km-long rail-road bridge, which was inaugurated by Hasina on June 25 and thrown open to the people the next day, connects the southwest part of the country to its northern and eastern regions. Built on the Padma river, it is the longest bridge in Bangladesh.
"There is no alternative but to work together to strengthen the existing relationship between the two Bengals based on language, culture and ideological similarities.
"We invite you to visit Bangladesh at your convenience. I hope to have an opportunity to meet you during my scheduled visit to New Delhi in September 2022," Sheikh Hasina, who is known to share a warm relationship with Mamata Banerjee, added.
No programme has, however, been finalised for Mamata Banerjee's visit to New Delhi in September, the official said.
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"We have no clue whether the Bangladesh premier will touch Kolkata while returning to Dhaka after her visit to New Delhi," he said.
The last time Sheikh Hasina visited Kolkata was in November 2019 on the occasion of the India-Bangladesh Pink Test at Eden Gardens.
Mamata Banerjee and Sheikh Hasina had then together rung the ceremonial bell at Eden Gardens to mark the first day-and-night Test between the two neighbours.
Sheikh Hasina had recently sent mangoes to Mamata Banerjee.
