Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali congratulates new Nepalese counterpart Kamal Thapa

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has congratulated his new Nepalese counterpart Kamal Thapa and hoped that the relations between the two countries would continue to grow in coming days.

Thapa, the Chairman of Nepal’s only royalist party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), was also sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister in Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli’s small cabinet on Monday.

Oli was elected as the new prime minister on Sunday in an election held barely three weeks after a democratic federal constitution was promulgated in Nepal.

Thapa had been a foreign minister 17 years ago and also served as the minister for home, forest, health and population, law, physical planning, and information and communications in his long political career.

Ali in his message said his “vast experience” gained from “long and distinguished political career” would enable him to carry out the new responsibilities at this crucial juncture of the nation’s history.

He said Thapa’s becoming the foreign minister “demonstrates the confidence reposed” on him by his government.

He also recalled relations between Bangladesh and Nepal both at bilateral and regional level and wished to work together with him “closely”.

“I am confident that during your tenure we will be able to harness the existing synergies in areas of trade, connectivity, hydro-power and water resources management, tourism, human resource development, culture, etc. and identify new areas of cooperation for our mutual benefit,” Ali wrote.