Dhaka, Sept. 18 -- A German parliamentary delegation led by Bundestag member Niklas Kappes paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram at his office on Thursday.

The delegation included Bundestag members Gerold Otten, Johann Saathoff and Uhle Schaus, while German Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Rudiger Lotz also attended the meeting.

The Speaker said Bangladesh and Germany have maintained longstanding friendly relations, noting that the German government had extended support to Bangladesh since the country's independence.

He said Germany is the second-largest destination for Bangladesh's exports in the European market.

Hafiz Uddin said elections had been held in Bangladesh since 1937, but the country...