"Mr Prime Minister, the people of Bangladesh launched an epic Liberation War in 1971. This finally resulted in the emergence of an independent Bangladesh. We deeply cherish the memory of your country's contribution to our Liberation War," she said in her speech at a banquet hosted by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi Tuesday night.

Khaleda pointed out that Rabindranath Tagore penned the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. "I believe there is no other instance where the national anthems of two countries have been composed by the same poet, as has been our case. Such is the strength of commonalities".

The Bangladesh prime minister said the two countries are bound by a common history, shared values of democracy, tolerance and an ethos rooted in pluralistic and moderate traditions.