Bhola, Sept. 14 -- Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Monday said Bangladesh wants a friendly relationship with India based on mutual respect, good-neighbourliness and equality.

"We want such a kind of friendly and equal relationship that should exist between two sovereign countries," he told journalists after a meeting with officials of the district administration at the Bhola Circuit House in the morning.

The Speaker said the country suffered extensive damage in almost every sector and at every level during what he described as 17 years of Awami League rule.

"The previous government's illegal activities brought the country almost to the brink of destruction," he said, adding that it will take time to overcome the situation and...