Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has congratulated British Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer for his party's historic victory in the July 4 elections and assumption of office as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, state news agency BSS reports.

"This unequivocal mandate clearly testifies to the trust and confidence of the British people in your leadership to take your country to newer heights of progress and prosperity and promote peace globally," she wrote to the new UK Prime Minister.

On this occasion, Sheikh Hasina reminisced Bangladesh's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his party Awami League's enduring friendship with the Labour Party and its iconic leaders like Sir Harold Wilson, Thomas Williams CK and Lord Peter Shore, during the glorious War of Liberation in 1971 that indeed shaped the Bangladesh-UK relations founded on two countries common values of democracy, secularism, and inclusive and progressive aspirations.

"My Government looks forward to working closely with the Labour Government under your able stewardship in further strengthening our long-standing political, economic, climate, and strategic partnerships in the mutual interest of our two Commonwealth nations," she said.

“Most importantly, together we would continue to harness the invaluable contributions of more than 700,000 vibrant and enterprising Bangladeshi-British Diaspora to the common good of our two nations,” she added.

She wished the very best of health, happiness, and success in new UK PM's high responsibility and peace, progress, and prosperity to the friendly people of the United Kingdom.

bd-pratidin/GR