Bashundhara Group, country’s largest business conglomerate, hosted a farewell party for outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

The program was organized at city’s The Westin Dhaka hotel on Friday (January 4).

Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan welcomed the Indian envoy and other dignitaries, including ministers, politicians, lawmakers, diplomats, jurists and journalists at the event.

Indian envoy said people of Bangladesh exercised their franchise in the December 30 national elections in a free and fair manner.

“People of Bangladesh voted for continuity of development,” he told reporters after the programme.

Shringla said India and Bangladesh have signed 99 agreements on various aspects of bilateral relations, cooperation and partnership during the last three years.

“Our relations have improved significantly and we’re not only neighbours but also friends and partners,” he added.

What the two neighbours have achieved in their relations during the period is really remarkable, Shringla said.

He said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina for her polls victory.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, LGRD Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former ministers Dr Dipu Moni and Dr Hasan Mahmud, former state minister AB Tajul Islam, former justice Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, and Prime Minister’s former press secretary Abul Kalam Azad were present on the occasion.

Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, his son Ahmed Walid Sobhan, Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan Tasvir, Co-chairman Sadat Sobhan Tanvir’s son Ahmed Ibrahim Sobhan, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, Daily Sun Editor Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haque Milon, Banglanews24.com Editor Jewel Mazhar, News24 Executive Director Hasnain Khorshed, Kaler Kantho Executive Editor Mostofa Kamal, Foreign Secretary  Kamrul Ahsan, Daily Sun Publisher Maynal Hossain Chowdhury, GTV Editor-in-Chief Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Ekushey TV CEO Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Janakantha Editor Atiqullah Khan Masud, Ekattor TV CEO Mozammel Babu, Jatiya Press Club President Saiful Alam and General Secretary Fardia Yasmin, BFUJ Secretary General Shaban Mahmud, noted journalists Sohrab Hasan, and Ashoke Chowdhury also attended the reception, among others.

Jatiya Party leader ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Ziauddin Bablu, lawmakers Shirin Akhter, Abdus Salam Murshedy, Mirza Azam and Enamul Haque Shamim, former FBCCI President Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon, Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Prof Dr Choplal Bhusal, RAB DG Benazir Ahmed, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, and Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Ashraful Alam Khokon were also present.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Bangladesh in January, 2016. He is leaving the country in January, 2019 after investing three years in boosting India-Bangladesh relationship.