Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that India has been Dhaka's "trusted friend" in her message to New Delhi as the polls began in her country for the 300-seat Parliament. Hasina highlighted India's support in Bangladesh's liberation war and conveyed best wishes for the people of India.
"You are most welcome. We are very lucky...India is our trusted friend," said PM Sheikh Hasina who is known as India's friend.
"During our liberation war, they supported us...After 1975, when we lost our whole family...they gave us shelter. So our best wishes to the people of India," she said.
A team of three senior members of the Election Commission of India reached Dhaka on Fridayparticipate in the monitoring process as part of the international election observers' team
Ahead of the polls, which is likely to turn out in her favour, PM Hasina said: "Our country is sovereign and independent...We have a big population. We have established people's democratic rights...I want to make sure that democracy should continue in this country...."
The elections are happening in the neighbouring country amid boycott call by main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and pre poll violence that saw episodes of arsons acros various parts of the country between Friday and Saturday.
In a nationally televised address this week, Hasina, 76, urged the pro-democratic and law-abiding parties not to fuel the ideas that “disrupt" the country's constitutional process.
The main opposition party in Bangladeshi parliament, the Jatiyo Party is contesting the polls in the absence of around 15 political parties that have given a call to boycott the polls.
However, of the 265 candidates it has fielded, at least 225 have pulled out themselves, mostly unofficially, terming the race "one-sided and staged".