Pranab Mukherjee meets Bangladesh President, hands over "historic" gift

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee today handed over a 'historic audio-visual gift' comprising clippings of All India Radio and Doordarshan during 1971 liberation of Bangladesh to his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Md Abdul Hamid.

Mukherjee, who was discharged from a hospital after a week-long stay there during which he underwent coronory angioplasty, welcomed Hamid on his madien visit to India and complimented him for the personal role played by him in consolidation of Indo-Bangla relations.

Mukherjee assured him that India attaches the highest importance to bilateral relations with Bangladesh, a close friend and neighbour, as India always believed that a strong, stable and prosperous Bangladesh is in its interest.

It is greatly satisfying for India to see Bangladesh showing a high growth economy with a promising future. "It is heartening to see the impressive strides made by Bangladesh on human development, healthcare, education, women's empowerment and other socio-economic fronts," the President was quoted in an official release.

Mukherjee handed over to Hamid recordings of transmissions made by All India Radio and Doordarshan during the Liberation War of 1971.

He recalled that valiant Mukti Bahini soldiers fought along with Indian troops for Bangladesh's liberation and expressed the hope that these recordings will remind the people of Bangladesh of those momentous times.

Reciprocating similar sentiments, Bangladeshi President praised Mukherjee for having been a friend of Bangladesh for long and said the people of Bangladesh hold the President in the highest of regard.