After the swearing-in of new Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday evening met the leader and handed over a letter from PM Narendra Modi inviting him to New Delhi.
Birla was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as he represented India at the oath-taking ceremony of Rahman. Rahman's Press Secretary Saleh Shibly said both sides held talks for around 20 minutes.
Pointing out that he is glad to attend the swearing-in ceremony, Birla posted on X, "India stands ready to support Bangladesh's endeavours to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation."
Calling the meeting constructive, Birla wrote, "I handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister @narendramodi conveying his wishes to PM Rahman and inviting him to visit India at the earliest convenience."
"I extended warm congratulations on behalf of the people of India and reaffirmed our commitment to deepening the enduring partnership between our two neighbouring countries," he added.
Highlighting the depth of ties between the two neighbours, PM Modi wrote, "As two close neighbours, India and Bangladesh have a deep-rooted friendship founded on shared history, cultural ties, and the aspirations of our peoples for peace and prosperity."
After the meeting, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah said both leaders expressed optimism to work together for the well-being of the people of Bangladesh and India, "pursuing a people-centric menu of cooperation."
Originally, Bangladesh had invited PM Modi to the ceremony, but he could not attend the event as he was scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday.