Bangladesh’s 50th Victory Day Celebrations : President Ram Nath Kovind Leaves For Dhaka ; To Be Guest Of Honour

Picture : Twitter / ANI

President Ram Nath Kovind’s first foreign trip since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to Bangladesh to participate in the country’s 50th Victory Day celebrations reflects the importance attached to the bilateral relationship, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said .

Kovind, who was invited by his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid to represent India at the celebrations as a guest of honour, will be the only foreign dignitary participating in the event in Dhaka on December 16.

The president’s three-day visit begins on Wednesday and he will hold meetings with Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and foreign minister AK Abdul Momen. Kovind is scheduled to interact with Bangladeshi freedom fighters and a visiting team of Indian military veterans who fought in the 1971 war that led to the emergence of Bangladesh from erstwhile East Pakistan.

Kovind, who will be accompanied by a delegation that includes Union minister of state for education Subhas Sarkar and MP Rajdeep Roy, will visit places of cultural and historical importance and interact with civil society and the Indian community, Shringla told a media briefing.