The Bangladesh-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group has formally begun work to strengthen bilateral cooperation in parliamentary affairs and capacity building.
Alongside traditional and official diplomacy, the group has been established to strengthen the relationship between lawmakers of the two countries through parliamentary diplomacy and professional exchanges.
On Thursday evening, a delegation from the Bangladesh-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group held a courtesy meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Dhaka, Alexander Khozin.
The meeting saw fruitful, positive discussions on key aspects of the multifaceted strategic bilateral relationship and multilateral cooperation.
Chairman of the Friendship Group, BNP Vice Chairman and former minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury recalled with deep respect the historic bond between the two nations. He said Russia has remained one of Bangladesh's most important and tested development partners since the Great Liberation War of 1971. Over time, this historic bilateral relationship has evolved into a strong and trusted partnership.
He further noted the need to continue joint and coordinated activities in agriculture, education, technology, nuclear science, food security, the energy sector, and, above all, to strengthen people-to-people connections between the two nations.
He said Bangladesh has historically and deeply believed in the foreign policy of "friendship to all, malice towards none."
He expressed hope that coordination among the new generation and joint initiatives under a new framework would make the Dhaka-Moscow bilateral partnership deeper and more dynamic in the days ahead.
Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Khozin warmly welcomed the Bangladeshi delegation and assured full cooperation between the two countries.
He said Russia would extend all forms of cooperation for any positive initiative aimed at developing parliamentary relations between the two countries, exchanging experience among lawmakers, and building mutual capacity.
He expressed confidence that this joint engagement between members of parliament from both countries would elevate existing trade, economic, and diplomatic ties to new heights.
Mia Sattar, President of the Russian Friendship Society with Bangladesh, identified matters of mutual interest as the foundation of the bilateral relationship. He remarked that "mutual benefit" is the real basis of any sustainable, long-term bilateral relationship. He urged that the relationship between the two friendly nations be further strengthened through public diplomacy and social coordination.
He said the Bangladesh-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group, built on shared interests and mutual benefit, would play a direct role in increasing trust and reliance between the peoples of the two countries.
Members of parliament present at the meeting, led by Friendship Group Chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury MP, included Khairul Kabir Khokon, Syed Al Noman, Saiful Alam, Atiqur Rahman Mujahid, and Zeba Amin Khan. Also present, as part of institutional and diplomatic protocol coordination, was S.M. Mahbubul Alam, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Eastern Europe and CIS Wing.
Alongside Dhaka, a "Group of Deputies" — a parliamentary friendship group led by a Muslim member of parliament — has also been formed in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, to improve relations with Bangladesh. Work is continuing there to consolidate good relations between the two countries at the international and public diplomacy levels.
This robust development in parliamentary diplomacy is expected to further strengthen the strategic positions of both countries in various international forums.