Dhaka-Moscow ties to thrive with new govt in chair, hopes Russia

The ties between Bangladesh and Russia will continue to thrive, bringing peace and prosperity to the people of both the countries with the newly elected government in Bangladesh chair.

Alexander Mantytskiy, ambassador of Russia to Bangladesh, stated this on Thursday on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Russian ambassador further said, “Meaningful interaction between our countries predates the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in January 1972 as the USSR largely supported the Bengali people in the international arena during the ongoing War for Independence in 1971.”

“Since then, over the span of more than 50 years, our bilateral history has seen many remarkable events and significant achievements, as well as glorious memories. The strong historic legacy and mutual affection between Russian and Bangladeshi people serve as a solid basis for new accomplishments and shared dreams,” Alexander Mantytskiy expressed.

He observed that despite the current turbulence in international affairs, fruitful cooperation between Moscow and Dhaka has been developing across many sectors. “In 2023, Russian-Bangladeshi relations saw a number of milestones, such as the first ever visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Bangladesh in September, the nuclear fuel delivery ceremony at the Rooppur NPP in October, with virtual presence of President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina; a goodwill visit of the Russian Pacific Fleet to the port of Chattogram in November.”

The ambassador also recalled how Russia makes a significant contribution to Bangladesh food security, being one of the key suppliers of various agro-industrial products, primarily wheat and fertilisers. “In 2023, Russia’s grain export to Bangladesh amounted to 2.7 million tonnes.”