The Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Association has been revived after a 12-year hiatus.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo said a new committee was elected on Thursday with the members of the current parliaments.

Minister of Industry & Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen was elected as President of the seven member bureau of office-bearers and a 15-member executive committee.

Abdullah Mahrooff, A. Aravindh Kumar and J. C. Alawathuwala were elected as vice presidents, with Bimal Rathnayake as secretary, Hector Appuhamy as Assistant Secretary and Sudarshini Fernandopulle as Treasurer.

Sudarshini Fernandopulle is the State Minister of Urban Planning and Water Supply of Sri Lanka.

Ports & Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Urban Planning & Water Supply Minister Rauf Hakeem and State Minister for National Reconciliation A. H. M. Fowzie are among the members of the committee.

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya chaired the meeting that elected the new committee. Bangladesh High Commissioner Tarik Ahsan was also present.

A documentary video on Bangladesh was screened during the event.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said the formation of the Association was inspired by the “deep-rooted friendly” relations between the two countries.

He hoped that the Association would “complement the efforts of governments in enhancing bilateral relations”.

The High Commissioner indicated that the Association was revived coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo.

He also hoped that it would energise the bilateral relations with “a spirit of friendship and goodwill”.

Minister Bathiudeen thanked the meeting for electing him as the President of the Association, and said that he would exert “all-out efforts” to strengthen the relations further.

The Association was last formed in 2001 and lasted till Sri Lanka’s 2004 general elections, according to the Bangladesh mission.

(bdnews24)