“On the auspicious occasion of our Great Independence and National Day, I, on behalf of the government and the people of Bangladesh, would like to convey my greetings to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as well as the Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the friendly people of Bahrain.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt greetings to all Bangladeshi expatriates living in Bahrain as both nations enjoy excellent relations based on identical values, shared perceptions, and common traditions.
“I will begin by humbly recalling and paying my deepest tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman whose decades-long struggle and sacrifice for emancipation allowed us to achieve our independence.
“Bangladesh and Bahrain, with rich histories and diverse cultures, embarked on a journey of friendship and collaboration 50 years ago. Bahrain became the first among the GCC countries to formally recognise Bangladesh on June 6, 1974 shortly after the late Amir of Bahrain HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa met our Father of the Nation during the second OIC Summit held in Lahore between February 22–24, 1974. Now, the Embassy of Bangladesh will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of our diplomatic relations to commemorate this major milestone.
“50 years is indeed a very long time; this milestone signifies a remarkable journey of friendship, respect, co-operation, and mutual understanding between our two nations. We have witnessed flourishing trade ties, vibrant cultural exchanges, and fruitful partnerships in numerous sectors, thanks to the bilateral instruments that we have signed over the years, most notably the agreements on bilateral consultations, avoidance of double taxation, protection of investments, and bilateral air services.
“Moreover, a good number of Bangladeshi workers are contributing to both the economies of Bahrain and Bangladesh. We also had our first round of bilateral consultation in November 2022. Most recently, our Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, MP, met with his Bahraini counterpart Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on the sidelines of the 19th NAM Summit & third South Summit of G77+China in Kampala, Uganda where they discussed topics of mutual interest.
“Today, under the exemplary leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is on track to graduate from its status as a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a developing country in November 2026 with the end goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2041, thanks to the brilliant Vision 2041: Smart Bangladesh initiative by the Prime Minister.
“We recorded the highest economic growth in the last 15 years with our GDP expanding by 188 per cent. Moreover, 2024 estimates rank our economy as the 33rd largest in the world in nominal terms, and 25th largest by purchasing power parity – making us one of the fastest growing economies in the world!
“On this great occasion, I reiterate Bangladesh’s commitment to further consolidating our relationship with Bahrain, built on the principles of mutual respect, trust, and shared prosperity. “Let us work together to ensure that the next chapter of our friendship is even more remarkable, benefiting both our nations and contributing to regional peace and stability.
“May the bonds of friendship between Bangladesh and Bahrain continue to flourish for many years to come!