Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her historic fourth consecutive term victory in the recently concluded parliamentary elections during a telephone conversation on Monday. Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi expressed his felicitations, stating, "Spoke to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and congratulated her on her victory for a historic fourth consecutive term in the Parliamentary elections."
In addition to congratulating Sheikh Hasina, PM Modi conveyed his commendations to the people of Bangladesh for the successful conduct of the elections. He affirmed a commitment to further strengthen the enduring and people-centric partnership between India and Bangladesh. The Prime Minister's remarks underscored the significance of the longstanding relationship between the two neighbouring nations.
Sheikh Hasina is poised to return as Bangladesh Prime Minister following her party, the Awami League, being declared the winner in the results of the 12th Bangladesh general election, which witnessed the main opposition and its allies boycotting the polls.
The 76-year-old political leader secured her fifth overall term, having governed the South Asian nation since 2009. Despite the one-sided nature of the election, marked by pre-poll violence, Sheikh Hasina's triumph represents a record fourth consecutive term in the Prime Minister's office and her fifth overall term.
The Bangladesh Election Commission reported that Hasina's Awami League won an impressive 223 seats in the 300-member Parliament during the general elections.
Noteworthy was the relatively low voter turnout of 41.8 per cent in the recent general elections, nearly half compared to the 2018 polls and the lowest since 1991. The main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by the ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is currently under house arrest on corruption charges, boycotted the elections, denouncing them as a 'sham.'
According to the final results, Awami League candidates secured 223 seats, the parliamentary opposition Jatiya Party (JAPA) obtained 11, and independent candidates, including ruling party rebels, secured 61 seats.
In response to Sheikh Hasina's victory, the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Kumar called on her and conveyed greetings on behalf of India. Ambassadors from various nations, including Russia, China, Bhutan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, also visited the Prime Minister to pledge their continued support to Bangladesh.
Following her victory, Sheikh Hasina expressed gratitude to the diplomats and sought cooperation in her new government's journey towards the development and prosperity of Bangladesh. This exchange of congratulations and diplomatic gestures highlights the importance of the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh, signalling a commitment to continued collaboration and partnership.
