KOLKATA: Continuing with the 'mango-hilsa diplomacy' of the past, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sent about 600 kg of mangoes to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The consignment of mangoes was delivered at Banerjee’s residence on Monday.
“Mangoes comprising the Himsagar’ and Langra’ variants have been sent to Banerjee, as part of diplomatic efforts. Last year, too, we had sent mangoes,” an official in the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here said. Hasina has also sent mangoes to all the chief ministers of the northeast.
Last year too, similar gift was sent for Banerjee. Prime Minister Hasina had also sent mangoes to former President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief ministers of Tripura and Assam last year.
In the peak season for the luscious fruit in Bangladesh, the gift is being seen as an indicator of the neighbouring country’s cordial relationship with Bengal. Last year, Hasina had sent mangoes of several varieties like ‘Golapkhas’ and ‘Amrapali’ from Rajshahi.
Earlier, continuing the tradition, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sent top varieties of the state’s mangoes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. Banerjee, since becoming the Chief Minister of Bengal for the first time in 2011 has been sending the state’s famous mangoes to New Delhi. The tradition continued this year too.
Mangoes have also been sent to Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud.
“The mangoes were sent in decorative boxes. The boxes contain Himsagar, Fazli, Langra and Laxman Bhog varieties of mangoes,” a senior Nabanna official said.
With agency inputs