Bhutan was the first country that recognized Bangladesh on December 6, 1971, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque has said.
He said while briefing newsmen on the outcome of Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay's visit to Bangladesh, reports BSS.
"There is no controversy about that Bhutan was the first country that recognised Bangladesh as it emerges from our history," said Shahidul.
The acknowledgement came through a wireless message to the then Acting President of Bangladesh, he said.
Tshering arrived here on Saturday at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a three-day official visit.
He left Dhaka for Bhutan Monday after ending his visit.
In this connection, the foreign secretary said during the official talks, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recalled with gratitude Bhutan's invaluable supporting role to the War of Liberation of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina, he said, also recalled that Bhutan was the first country to recognise Bangladesh on December 6, 1971.
The secretary said the Bhutanese Prime Minister handed over to the Bangladesh Prime Minister a text of the wireless message that was sent on December 6, 1971 by the Third King of Bhutan to the then Acting President of Bangladesh conveying recognition of Bangladesh by Bhutan as a sovereign independent country.
Responding to a query, he said India also recognized Bangladesh on December 6, 1971 although it was a difference of few hours in giving recognition by the two neighbours.
