On the first day in office yesterday, new Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh will maintain relations with all countries, including those who were critical of the January 7 election, for advancing the country’s development.

Bangladesh has expended its support to South Africa’s application against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning Israel’s violation of the Genocide Convention regarding the Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.

Dhaka says the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has overstepped its mandate and misrepresented the ground reality on the elections in Bangladesh.

Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar today greeted Hasan Mahmud on his appointment as Bangladesh’s foreign minister

The foreign ministry yesterday protested the recent statement issued by six international civil society organisations (CSOs) that raised questions about the fairness of the January 7 national polls and called for a re-election.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister MUM All Sabry has congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and pledged to work together, taking the friendship between the two countries to even greater heights

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin today congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and expressed hope to jointly work for broadening cooperation in the days ahead

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said there were external attempts to influence the outcome of Bangladesh’s election.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in separate messages yesterday, congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her re-election as the prime minister of Bangladesh.

White House yesterday said it still desires to see that Bangladeshi people’s aspirations for free, fair, and transparent elections are met.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for forming the government for the fourth consecutive time.

Chinese Prime Minister (premier of the state council) Li Qian today extended warm congratulations and best wishes to his Bangladeshi counterpart for her re-election as prime minister

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted Gabriel Attal on his appointment as the new French prime minister

Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah has congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reappointment as the prime minister of Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, who has not been chosen in the list of the upcoming cabinet, today said being a minister was a privilege and it was solely a choice of the prime minister.

Canada has expressed its disappointment over the January 7 parliamentary polls, saying the electoral process had fallen short of the principles of democracy and the freedom upon which Bangladesh was founded.

Although some irregularities were reported in the general election, Japan intends to continue to support Bangladesh for its development and prosperity, and further develop the bilateral relationship

Five Canadian MPs, who are members of the Canada-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group, have congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on winning a fifth term in office

The United Nations has called on all parties in Bangladesh to reject all forms of violence and ensure human rights and the rule of law are fully respected.

The US said Bangladesh’s parliamentary election was not free and fair, while the UK observed that standards of credible and fair competitions in the polls were not consistently met during the election period.