Hasina calls Modi

Sheikh Hasina has called up to congratulate Narendra Modi before he takes over as India’s next Prime Minister.

The prime minister also invited Modi to visit Bangladesh at his earliest convenient date, her special assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil told bdnews24.com on Sunday .

Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat, led a powerful and efficiently crafted campaign that swept his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power with the first clear mandate won by any party in 30 years.

Shakil said Hasina has conveyed to Modi her government's desire to carry forward the bilateral relations and try to solve all contentious issues through dialogue.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called India’s next Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 9am to congratulate him on behalf of the Bangladesh government, the people, Awami League and herself,” he said.

“She asked him to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.”

“Bangladesh is always interested in maintaining good relations with all neighbours, she told him. She hoped that the two neighbours will solve all contentious issues through bilateral talks.”

Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia both sent messages to congratulate India’s prime minister-elect on May 16, amid the results that followed a nine-phase election, the largest in the world.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the BNP claimed Awami League is ‘at a loss’ with the BJP defeating the Indian National Congress, which ruled India for 10 years and built warm ties with Dhaka.

There are circulating fears that relations will suffer under the new BJP government, especially with Modi’s threat to push back those he described as ‘Muslim migrants from Bangladesh’ during his election campaigns. But both the BJP and the ruling Awami League have given assurances of India-Bangladesh ties continuing without stress.