Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina congratulates Narendra Modi

New Delhi, May 18:

Premier

has telephoned Prime Minister-designate

congratulating him on his resounding victory and wished that relations between the two countries will grow under his leadership.

She also invited Modi to visit Bangladesh. On the day results were out on May 16, the Bangladesh premiere had reached out the BJP's PM designate in a warm letter saying that with the kind of people's mandate given to their respective parties they can work together to take the bilateral relationship to "increasingly greater heights."

"I am delighted to see a great friend of Bangladesh leading an extremely friendly country, India, in the coming days," Hasina had said in her letter to Modi, BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

"I hope that you would find my country your second home and first destination for your official visit abroad," she had said.

Lauding Modi, Hasina had said "the decisive verdict given by the people of your great country is a strong testimony to your dynamic, inspiring and visionary leadership qualities and manifestation of the trust and confidence reposed in you by the people of the largest democracy in the world."

Describing Bangladesh and India as "natural and contiguous development partners," Hasina said, "our shared history and culture...our inseparable bond of friendship was permanently cemented when the entire political leadership and the people of India provided unprecedented support to our historic War of Liberation in 1971."

Noting that the two countries have made significant collective strides in the bilateral relationship, she said it must continue to move forward.

PTI