KOLKATA: President Abdul Hamid has invited Indian States of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to visit Bangladesh.

Hamid extended his invitation to Mamata on Monday while they attended a dinner hosted by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi at Raj Bhavan in honor of Bangladesh president.

Mamata has reportedly accepted the invitation and is likely to visit Dhaka in February, reports Times of India on Tuesday.

West Bengal’s tourism minister Bratya Basu, urban development minister Firhad Hakim and panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee, Bangladesh high commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali, and Bangladesh deputy-high commissioner in Kolkata Zokey Ahad, among others, attended the dinner.

The president also visited ailing Gobinda Halder at a Kolkata hospital on Monday night where the famous lyricist underwent treatment for old-age and kidney ailments.

Hamid assured the ailing lyricist of giving full assistance to his family and treatment and prayed for immediate recovery.

The president arrived in Kolkata from Delhi in Monday. He is expected to visit Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan on Tuesday.

Gobinda Halder wrote several songs including Ek Sagor Rokter Binimoye Banglar Swadhinata Anlo Jara, Purbo Digonte Surjo Uthechhe Rokto Lal, Mora Ekti Phulke Bachabo Bole Juddho Kori, and Padma Meghna Jamuna Tomar Amar Thikana to inspire freedom fighters during the War of Independence in 1971.

BDST: 1338 HRS, DEC 23, 2014