On March 4, 2022, on the august occasion of the Golden Jubilee of recognition of Bangladesh by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the multi-sectoral bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will further be strengthened in the days to come.
She said: “In recent years, our bilateral cooperation has widened, and I have the conviction that it would grow even more through multi-pronged sectoral cooperation particularly in agriculture, trade, shipping, people-to-people ties, and tourism for mutual benefit of our two peoples”.
Bangladesh Prime Minister added: “The last fifty years have provided a solid foundation for our partnership and I am confident that we will be working together for building prosperous and peaceful region next fifty years and beyond”.
The Premier that Bangladesh is very happy that Sri Lanka remained as a trusted friend and partner in the two countries’ common endeavors.
Sheikh Hasina said “I convey on behalf of the Government, the people of Bangladesh and my own behalf, warmest felicitations and best wishes to you and through you, to the friendly people of Sri Lanka”.
Sheikh Hasina said on the 4th March 1972, Sri Lanka recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign and independent country.
“The early recognition by Sri Lanka provided the newly emergent country with much valued support. Since then, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been enjoying cordial bonds of friendship based on our historical linkages, mutual respect, multiple commonalities and spirit of good neighborliness”, she opined.
The Prime Minister recalled with gratitude of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s visit to Bangladesh to join the twin mega celebrations of the Birth Centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh last year.
Sheikh Hasina said that instilled with the spirit of Bangladesh’s glorious War of Liberation and the dream of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the resilient and indomitable people of Bangladesh have attained significant socio-economic success during the last 13 years.
“We deeply value Sri Lanka’s partnership in our incredible journey towards attainment of socio-economic emancipation”, she said.
In the message, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wishes good health, happiness, peace, and prosperity for her Sri Lankan counterpart and for the friendly people of Sri Lanka, saying, “Long live Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Friendship”.
It is important to mention here that the relations between the Bangalis and Sri Lankans dates back to many centuries. Yes, the Sinhalese have their origins in Bangladesh. The “Mahavamsa”, arguably the greatest chronicle of Sri Lanka, narrates that the founder of the Sinhalese community had his roots among ancestors from Bengal – more precisely Bangladesh.
The “Mahavamsa” says, arguably the greatest chronicle of Sri Lanka, narrates an interesting episode that marks the origin of the Sinhalese people. As per the mythological record, the foundation stone of the Sinhalese community was laid by King Vijaya who had travelled there from Bengal in 543 BC and founded the first Sinhalese town by the name of Tambapani. One of the murals at the Ajanta caves carry an elaborate depiction of King Vijaya’s travel to the Sinhalese town.
King Vijaya was the son of Sihabahu the ruler of Sihapura in Gujarat. Sihabahu’s mother in turn was the daughter of the king of Kalinga in Eastern India. Legend goes that she conceived Sihabahu (etymologically meaning lion’s arm) with a lion who had kidnapped her.
The nature of origin myths is such that it can never prove or disprove a certain theory. However, by becoming part of local folklore, they do give some indication to the way in which the Sinhalese people remember their past. In the case of the hereditary lineage of King Vijaya, while the exact details of the story may or may not be true, what can be said with certainty is that the Sinhalese community does trace some connection to present day Bengal and Odisha. The legend gains particular currency when one realizes the importance of the lion’s symbol in Sinhalese tradition.
In a book, “The ocean of churn: How the Indian ocean shaped human history”, writer Sanjiv Sanyal remarks that the symbol of the lion that is so important among the Sinhalese is equally revered among the Odiyas and Bengalis. While the Narasimha (God Vishnu as half man and half lion) is worshipped in Odisha, among Bengalis the image of Goddess Durga is incomplete without the lion upon which she rides. In the opinion of Sanyal, the image of the lion on the Sri Lankan flag and the religious symbolism of the lion in Odisha and Bengal have the same cultural origins.
Meaning, Sri Lankans are our ancestral brothers and sisters and we also share lots of common culture and heritage.
On the auspicious occasion of Bangladesh’s celebrating 51nd year of independence, we sincerely hope, the existing relations between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will further deepen and strengthen and the interactions between the people of two countries will increase.
