Cambodian PM greets Bangladeshis on Bangabandhu’s birth centenary

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen in a video message today greeted the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country’s independence, BSS reports.

“Today, I am very honored and delighted to deliver on behalf of the royal government and the people of Kingdom of Cambodia congratulatory message on the commemoration of birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh,” he said.

The message was run while a recorded programme with theme ‘Mohakaler Torjoni’ was aired virtually on the second day of the ten-day programme of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee of the independence.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic could not allow Hun Sen to attend thehistorical event in person, he appreciated the government and people of Bangladesh for remarkable achievements over the past decade by following the late Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s pragmatic visionary leadership.

Bangladesh under the wise leadership of President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has achieved high economic growth, social progress and improved qualities of life of Bangladeshi people, the Cambodian Prime Minister said.

This spectacular success has enabled Bangladesh to meet the eligibility criteria for graduation from least developed countries in 2021, he added.

Hun Sen, in his video message, highlighted the historical friendship between Cambodia and Bangladesh which was founded by the close ties between the late King-Father of Cambodia Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk and Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during their meeting in the conference of the non-aligned countries in Algeria in 1973.

Recalling that Cambodia and Bangladesh formally established their diplomatic relations on February 17, 1993, making a new chapter of relationship between the two countries, he said for nearly three decades, the
two countries have enjoyed amicable relationship and fruitful cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels based equality and mutual respect for the interests of the two nations and peoples.

At the same time, the Cambodian Premier took note of the high-level visit exchange between both countries and recalled his official visit to Bangladesh in June 2014 and Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Cambodia in December 2017, when many documents were signed to boost the bilateral economic, trade, investment and technological cooperation.

Both sides also agreed to name a main street in Phnom Penh and in Dhaka after the names of the late Father of Cambodia and the Founding Father of Bangladesh to highlight the deep love and respect for the two great statesmen, he noted.

“On this auspicious event, I would like to reaffirm my strong commitment to further deepen the bilateral relations and close cooperation between Cambodia and Bangladesh and to develop a stronger mutually beneficial partnership at the regional and international frameworks,” Hun Sen said.