Historic legacy serves solid basis for Dhaka-Moscow ties: envoy

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Mantytskiy has said that the strong historic legacy and mutual affection between Moscow and Dhaka has served as a solid basis for new accomplishments and shared dreams.

"It's my earnest hope with the newly-elected (Bangladesh) government that the ties between Moscow and Dhaka will continue to thrive, bringing peace and prosperity to our peoples," he wrote on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) largely supported the Bangladeshi people in the international arena during the war for Independence in 1971, the ambassador said adding that the meaningful interaction between the two countries predated the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in January 1972.

"Since then, over the span of more than 50 years, our bilateral history has seen many remarkable events and significant achievements, as well as glorious memories," he said.

The ambassador said despite the current turbulence in international affairs, fruitful cooperation between Moscow and Dhaka has been developing across many sectors.

In 2023, Russian-Bangladesh relations saw a number of milestones, such as the first ever visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Bangladesh in September; the nuclear fuel delivery ceremony at the Rooppur NPP in October, with virtual presence of President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina; and a goodwill visit of the Russian Pacific Fleet to the port of Chattogram in November, he mentioned.

Ambassador Mantytskiy said Russia makes a significant contribution to Bangladesh's food security, being one of the key suppliers of various agro-industrial products, primarily wheat and fertilizers while Russia's grain export to Bangladesh amounted to 2.7 million tonnes in 2023.