B'deshi prez holds series of meetings

KATHMANDU, Nov 14: Visiting Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid held series of political meetings on Wednesday including with his Nepali counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Oli, National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Timalsina and leaders from the major political parties called Hamid and discussed about various bilateral issues.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Bhandari discussed on further strengthening the age-old friendly bilateral ties between the two countries during the meeting at her office in Sheetal Niwas in the evening. Bhandari also hosted a banquet in honor of President Hamid followed by the bilateral meeting.

Prime Minister Oli tweeted that his meeting with Hamid was fruitful. “I had a fruitful meeting with His Excellency Mr Md Abdul Hamid, President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. On behalf of the Government and people of Nepal and on my own, I extend a warm welcome to HE the President, Madam Hamid & the delegation. I wish them a pleasant stay,” tweeted Oli after the meeting.

Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party Pushpa Kamal Dahal and president of the main opposition Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba also held separate meetings with Hamid on Wednesday.

During the meeting with Dahal, the two exchanged views on strengthening bilateral ties, according to Dahal's secretariat.

On the occasion, President Hamid expressed his commitment to moving ahead collectively to promote mutual assistance and cooperation in the changing context, the Rastriya Samachar Samiti, the national news agency, reported.

Stating that Nepal and Bangladesh were on the path toward development and political stability, the Bangladeshi president stressed the need for making joint efforts to face possible challenges toward that end.

President Hamid praised NCP Chair Dahal's contribution to Nepal's political changes and peace process. He also lauded Nepal's role in Bangladeshi independence movement, according to the deputy chief of NCP's Foreign Relations Department Bishnu Rijal, who participated in the meeting.

After holding the meeting with Hamid, NC President Deuba said on Twitter that they discussed on further strengthening bilateral ties between Nepal and Bangladesh. Hamid arrived in Kathmandu on a four-day official visit on Tuesday afternoon.