Indian envoy calls on Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, conveys PM Modi's greetings on election win

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and conveyed the warm greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India to Sheikh Hasina on her election victory. According to ANI news agency, Verma is the first envoy to meet Hasina and congratulate her on her victory in the elections. Verma expressed hope that during the new term of the Awami League government, there will be even stronger momentum and growth in the bilateral partnership between India and Bangladesh in support of each other’s national development, added the report, citing sources. Indian Envoy Verma stressed that India will continue to support the people of Bangladesh in realising their vision of a stable, progressive and prosperous nation, guided by their long-standing friendship and inspired by their shared sacrifices in the Liberation War. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won the Gopalganj-3 constituency in a landslide victory, her eighth term as a Member of Parliament. Hasina’s party secured victory in 223 seats to form the government in the elections conducted on Sunday. She received 249,962 votes, while her nearest rival, Md Atiqur Rahman, got 6,999 votes. Meanwhile, another candidate, Mahabur Mollah, received 425 votes. Sheikh Hasina has won the fifth term, which is also her fourth consecutive term. On Sunday evening, Sheikh Hasina directed her party leaders, workers and supporters not to hold any victory procession after the announcement of the results. She also instructed them not to get involved in conflict with any candidate and his or her supporters after the announcement, Dhaka Tribune reported citing Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Sayeem Khan. Meanwhile, Jatiya Party (JaPa-Ershad), received 11 seats, Bangladesh Kallyan party won in one constituency while independent candidates secured victory in 62 seats. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Workers Party of Bangladesh won one seat each, according to the report. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties observed a strike across the country as they boycotted the elections. With inputs from agencies