When tiny Tripura hosted a foreign premier in 2012

April 08, 2017 11:02 pm | Updated 11:02 pm IST

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now on a high-profile visit to New Delhi, spent three days in Tripura in 2012, the first by any foreign head of government.

She was welcomed and honoured with a D.Litt (Honoris Causa) by Tripura University then.

Ms. Hasina recalled her days in exile in Delhi from 1975 to 1981 after the assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 18 other close relatives on August 15, 1975.

“With over half a century in politics with ruthless struggle against military and quasi-military rulers, it was my father’s dream and beliefs that motivated my struggle for democracy,” she said, pointing out emotionally that her first child was born in jail under the military junta. Though the 2012 trip was not an official visit, the Government of India had extended all protocols to Ms. Hasina at Agartala. Vice-President Hamid Ansari presented the honorary degree. To commemorate the historic visit, the External Affairs Ministry issued a statement with dateline Agartala to welcome Bangladesh investments in power sectors in India. Participation of Bangladesh in power projects would be welcome, it said.

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