‘Dhaka-Colombo ties were at exceptional level during Mahinda's presidency’

The relations between Dhaka and Colombo were at an “exceptional level” during prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as president, said outgoing Bangladesh High Commissioner in Sri Lanka M Riaz Hamidullah.

He also hoped that the relation would further improve in the coming years, particularly in areas such as trade, agriculture and fisheries.

Riaz Hamidullah paid a farewell call on the Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Tuesday morning, said a release of the Sri Lankan prime minister’s office.

The outgoing Bangladesh high commissioner expressed his “gratitude and appreciation” to the prime minister for all the support extended to him during his tenure.

Receiving Riaz Hamidullah at his official residence, the Sri Lankan prime minister thanked the Bangladeshi diplomat for his work in Sri Lanka and also asked him to convey his gratitude to Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina for her recent phone call to wish him on his 50 years in politics.

Rajapaksa also commended the Mother Language Day programme jointly organised by the Bangladesh High Commission and Sri Lanka’s education ministry earlier this year and requested the diplomat to urge his successor to continue that work.

The Bangladesh high commissioner, on behalf of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, extended an invitation to prime minister Rajapaksa to visit Bangladesh at a convenient date in the future.

After serving Bangladesh in Colombo for almost four years, Riaz Hamidullah is scheduled to move to the Hague as the next ambassador of Bangladesh.