Sonia leaves Dhaka

The Indian National Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, left Dhaka on Monday evening ending a hectic 24-hour visit amid tight security.

A special Indian Air Force plane carrying Sonia took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for New Delhi at about 9:20pm.

During the visit, she received the 'Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona', the highest state honour for '1971 foreign friends', conferred on the late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi for her unique contribution to the Liberation War of Bangladesh 40 years ago.

Sonia, who visited Dhaka on an invitation from the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, also attended an international conference on autism and developmental disorders as chief guest at a city hotel.

She separately called on Zillur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina. The meetings preceded an official visit here by Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh scheduled for September 6-7.

Zillur Rahman and Sonia Gandhi discussed various issues related to bilateral cooperation and mutual interest, according to state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

Sonia Gandhi and Sheikh Hasina, who are chiefs of the ruling parties in their respective countries, expressed identical views on fighting against militancy and terrorism for achieving a sustainable development in the region, according to the news agency.

They expressed the views when Sonia called on Hasina at Hotel Ruposhi Bangla.

The two leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral issues, including further boosting regional cooperation, to face the social menaces and achieve economic progress, said the prime minister's  press secretary Abul Kalam Azad after the meeting.

The two leaders shared the idea of working together to prevent terrorism and militancy saying that Bangladesh and India were against all forms of terrorism and militancy that hindered development of the countries.

They Laid emphasis on concerted efforts to arrest social menaces and viewed that due to the gravity of the problem, it was difficult for a single country to fight against terrorism and militancy.

They hoped that the excellent bilateral ties between Bangladesh and India would be strengthened in the years to come.

Sonia placed wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar and Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi on Monday morning.

She paid tributes to the Liberation War martyrs and Bangladesh's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sonia stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memory of the 1971 martyrs at the memorial after placing the wreaths and then planted a sapling of `Bokul' tree on the memorial premises.

The Italian-origin Indian leader then signed the visitors' book at the memorial where she was accompanied by state minister for liberation war affairs AB Tajul Islam.

On return from Savar, she visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi and placed wreaths at Mujib's mural.

The museum's curator Siddiqur Rahman escorted her to different corners of Sheikh Mujib's historic residence, which subsequently turned into a museum.

'She was visibly moved seeing the place where Bangabandhu was assassinated and a picture of her [Sonia] slain mother-in-law with Bangladesh's founding father,' an official said.

Foreign minister Dipu Moni, LGRD and cooperatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam, health adviser Dr Syed Modasser Ali, state minister for liberation war affairs Tajul Islam and Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Rajiv Mitter saw Sonia Gandhi off at the airport.

Source : New Age