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AL leaders meet Congress high-ups

On the sidelines of Indian opposition party's plenary session; hand over Hasina's letter to Sonia Gandhi

Our Correspondent, New Delhi
A three-member delegation of Awami League (AL) attended the plenary session of the Indian Congress in New Delhi yesterday.
The delegation - AL presidium member and former food minister Abdur Razzak, former foreign minister Dipu Moni, and AL Assistant Office Secretary Biplob Barua - also met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi on the sidelines of the plenary session at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The meeting began at 12:00 noon and was attended among others by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, Dipu Moni told The Daily Star.
She said the two sides discussed mainly the status of bilateral relations and briefly touched the political situation and upcoming parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, Rahul commended the socioeconomic progress attained by Bangladesh. He particularly pointed out that Bangladesh had moved ahead of India in social development indices in certain areas.
He also commended the steps taken by the Sheikh Hasina government in containing extremism and
radicalisation of youth in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina has written a letter to Sonia Gandhi commending the "adept leadership, wisdom and prudence of Rahul Gandhi" and said she strongly believes that would "further flourish" and continue to serve the people of India under his leadership.
Hasina's letter, put on the Congress party's website, was handed over by Dipu Moni to Sonia.
In her letter, Hasina recalled with gratitude the "extraordinary support" extended to the people of Bangladesh by the then Indian PM Indira Gandhi during the 1971 Liberation War.
Bangladesh and India enjoy excellent bilateral relations based on mutual respect, shared values of democracy, culture, tradition, tolerance and growing cooperation in many areas including trade and investment, Hasina said in the letter.
Although Awami League and the Congress have traditionally enjoyed close ties, the presence of the AL representatives in the Indian opposition party's crucial meeting assumes significance as it comes in the midst of escalating political battle between
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government and the entire opposition.
Asked if the presence of the AL delegation in the Congress plenary would send a wrong political signal at this juncture, Moni said, "There is no scope for any misperception, because this is a party-to-party relationship."
"Awami League has always enjoyed very close ties with Congress and now has very good relations with BJP too," said Dipu Moni.
She recalled that representatives of both the Congress and BJP had attended AL's National Council in Dhaka one and a half years ago.
She said a delegation led by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader is going to visit India soon to interact with leaders of different Indian political parties. She, however, did not specify the dates of the visit.
Moni said AL would have good relations with India no matter which party is in power and which in the opposition.
"As the next door neighbours, India and Bangladesh should have the best of relations..., "she said.
The AL delegation also met former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee at his residence in New Delhi in the evening.