DHAKA, Jan 25, 2024 (BSS) - Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander 
Mantytskiy has said that the strong historic legacy and mutual affection 
between Moscow and Dhaka served as a solid basis for new accomplishments and 
shared dreams.

"It's my earnest hope with the newly-elected (Bangladesh) government that the 
ties between Moscow and Dhaka will continue to thrive, bringing peace and 
prosperity to our peoples," he wrote on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary 
of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Russia. 
 
The ambassador said meaningful interaction between the two countries predated 
the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in January 1972 as the USSR 
largely supported the Bengali people in the international arena during the 
ongoing Bangladesh's War for Independence in 1971. 
 
"Since then, over the span of more than 50 years, our bilateral history has 
seen many remarkable events and significant achievements, as well as glorious 
memories," he said. 
 
The ambassador said despite the current turbulence in international affairs, 
fruitful cooperation between Moscow and Dhaka has been developing across many 
sectors. 
 
In 2023, Russian-Bangladeshi relations saw a number of milestones, such as 
the first ever visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to 
Bangladesh in September, the nuclear fuel delivery ceremony at the Rooppur 
NPP in October, with virtual presence of President Vladimir Putin and Prime 
Minister Sheikh Hasina; a goodwill visit of the Russian Pacific Fleet to the 
port of Chattogram in November, he mentioned. 
 
Ambassador Mantytskiy said Russia makes a significant contribution to 
Bangladesh's food security, being one of the key suppliers of various agro-
industrial products, primarily wheat and fertilizers while Russia's grain 
export to Bangladesh amounted to 2.7 million tonnes in 2023.