Russia has congratulated the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“Congratulations to our Bangladeshi friends on this milestone anniversary of our relations,” Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation, said on Monday.

“Our countries have long been bound by friendly ties, the foundation of which was laid back in 1972, when the USSR supported the national liberation struggle of the people of Bangladesh and was among the first countries to recognise the independence of the new state,” she said.

The Russian spokesperson said Bangladeshis remember the feat of Soviet military sailors, who cleared the waters of the port of Chittagong from mines and sunken ships in 1972-1974.

“Today, our countries maintain an active political dialogue, which is built on the principles of equality and mutual respect.”

Maria further said Bangladesh is Russia’s major trading partner in South Asia, with bilateral trade exceeding $2.5 billion a year.

Major economic projects, including Rooppur nuclear power plant which is first in Bangladesh, are underway.

Its latest meeting was held on December 15, 2021.