Bangladesh and Sri Lanka marked 50 years of diplomatic relations with a hybrid webinar at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo this week in the presence (physical and on-line) of high dignitaries from both countries.
The program started with the national anthems of both countries followed by an exchange of goodwill messages between the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recalled with gratitude Sri Lanka’s recognition of independent Bangladesh on March 4, in 1972.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction over the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries, and wished peace and prosperity for the people of both nations.
State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya and Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Ambassador Masud Bin Momen attended the webinar and shared their thoughts on the occasion. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary sent his recorded message as well.
The main speakers of the webinar were Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tareq Ariful Islam, Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Ambassador KaziImitiaz Hossain, Chairman Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), and
Dr. Asanka Wijesinghe, Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The panel was moderated by Dr. Dayantha Laksiri Mendis, Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute.
The speakers highlighted the historical links between the two countries. They also discussed the bilateral cooperation and prospect of sectoral cooperation especially in the fields of trade, commerce, shipping, connectivity, and people to people contact.
Colombo based Ambassadors and High Commissioners, diplomats, academia and business leaders attended the program at the Laksman Kadirgamar Institute while many were connected online from both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.