Economy
Bangladesh, France Eye Strategic Partnership for Indo-Pacific Prosperity
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her confidence that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and France would evolve into a strategic partnership, fostering shared prosperity within the Indo-Pacific and beyond. She made this announcement during a banquet held in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron at the Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka. Prime Minister Hasina welcomed President Macron with a bouquet of flowers and was joined by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, at the event.
The Prime Minister highlighted the expansion of cooperation in strategic assets and advanced technologies as a significant development in their partnership. She emphasized the potential for their collaboration to address global challenges, including conflicts, climate change, and rising living costs.
Prime Minister Hasina noted that France had been a trusted development partner of Bangladesh since its independence, fostering a robust trade partnership with a focus on responsible business conduct. President Macron’s visit to Dhaka followed his participation in the G-20 Summit in New Delhi, India.
Sheikh Hasina expressed her pleasure and honor in hosting President Macron, recalling his warm hospitality during her visit to the Elysee Palace in November 2021. She extended a warm welcome on behalf of the people of Bangladesh, emphasizing the special place France holds in their hearts and imagination.
In a lighter moment, Prime Minister Hasina mentioned that they had arranged for President Macron to experience Bangladesh’s unique kacchi biriyani, celebrating the rich culinary, cultural, and linguistic heritage shared by both nations. She proposed a toast to his health with a local fruit juice made from Amra.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Hasina reflected on her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s admiration for the French Revolution’s ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. She noted how these values were echoed in Bangabandhu’s historic speech of March 7, 1971, in which he called for independence and self-determination. She praised President Macron for his bold reforms in France and his pursuit of strategic autonomy, which aligns with Bangladesh’s foreign policy principle of “Friendship to all, malice towards none.”
The banquet featured a delightful menu, including smoked Hilsha with piazo, somosa, mulligatawny soup with artisanal bread and butter, mutton kacchi biryani, beef seekh kebab, chicken korma, sour aubergine, traditional luchi bread, and roasted lobster. Desserts included pathishapta pitha, sweet yogurt, rosogolla, and fresh fruit cuts, accompanied by a variety of beverages.
Bangladesh and Egypt have affirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation through regular foreign office consultations.
During a meeting between Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry on Saturday afternoon, held on the sidelines of the 15th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Gambia, discussions were held on various matters of mutual interest. These included boosting trade and investment between the two nations and addressing the Rohingya crisis.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud proposed mutual visa exemption and expanding trade with Egypt during the meeting. The Egyptian foreign minister agreed in principle to sign an agreement on diplomatic and official visa exemption.
Additionally, the Egyptian foreign minister pledged full support for the construction of the Chancery building of the Bangladesh mission in Egypt.
Following this, Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), paid a courtesy call to Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud.
During the meeting, Al Yahya informed the Foreign Minister about the drafting of an agreement titled ‘Multilateral AI Agreement’ on the International Use of Artificial Intelligence by the member states of DCO.
Expressing sincere interest, Al Yahya accepted the invitation from the Foreign Minister to visit Bangladesh and witness the country’s progress in the field of information and communication technology. He expressed hope for expanding DCO’s cooperation with Bangladesh in this sector through the visit.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (25 April) called for speaking out against all forms of aggression and atrocities, and say ‘no’ to wars.
“We must speak out against all forms of aggression and atrocities, and say ‘no’ to wars,” she said adding that Bangladesh supports the UN Secretary General’s ‘New Agenda for Peace.
The prime minister was addressing the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) held at the ESCAP Hall (2nd floor), United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) here.
She arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday on a six-day official visit to Thailand.
The PM said the pre-condition for sustainable development is lasting peace and security.
“We must settle regional disputes and tension through dialogue. Our mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity must remain paramount,” she said.
Hasina called upon the Asia-Pacific region, especially ASEAN, to redouble their efforts to end Rohingya crisis as all efforts at regional connectivity, integration, and prosperity will continue to be marked by a missing puzzle without it.
“The origin of their crisis has been in Myanmar, and its solution also lies in Myanmar,” she declared.
“As long as that solution remains out of reach, all our efforts at regional connectivity, integration, and prosperity will continue to be marked by a missing puzzle. Let us redouble our efforts to put that puzzle back in place,” she said.
She said that in August 2017, when thousands of Rohingya men, women, and children from Myanmar fled to Bangladesh, Bangladesh offered them temporary shelter.
“With an ever growing population, this has now become one of the largest humanitarian situations in the world,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that In the backdrop of ongoing armed conflicts in Myanmar, the Rohingya repatriation process is also getting delayed.
“This is creating serious security risks within and beyond our territories,” she said.
She called upon the Asia-Pacific region, especially ASEAN, to play a proactive role in resolving the volatile situation in Myanmar.
“We must ensure that the Rohingya can go back home in safety and dignity at the earliest possible,” she said.
The prime minister said that the Asia-Pacific region must stand united against its common enemies of poverty and hunger.
She said Bangladesh has reduced poverty from 41.51 percent to 18.7 percent between 2006 and 2022.
It also reduced extreme poverty from 25.1 to 5.6 percent during the same period.
“We remain confident about eradicating extreme poverty by 2030,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh has made notable progress on food security, with focused interventions on maternal and child nutrition.
“Our current priority is to address inequalities through income distribution, asset ownership, and social protection,” she said.
The prime minister said that Asia-Pacific region must put up a united front in tackling the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and transboundary pollution.
“We need to push for ambitious climate financing goals beyond 2025 at COP-29. We need to cooperate on cross-border water management and air quality improvement. We must all prepare for growing extreme weather events,” she said.
In this connection, she suggested looking into Bangladesh’s experience in disaster risk reduction.
“We appreciate UN-ESCAP’s support in improving our early warning capabilities,” she added.
Briefly describing various development programmes and achievements of her govebrment, the prime minister said that much of the development gains are affected by climate impacts.
“As a low-lying delta, Bangladesh has no option but to invest heavily in climate resilience,” she said.
She mentioned that Bangladesh is already recognised as a global leader in climate adaptation.
“We are happy to share our traditional and innovative solutions with other vulnerable countries,” she said.
She said that Bangladesh has urged developed and emerging economies in the region to raise their time-bound emission reduction targets.
“For economies in transition, it is important to have a just energy transition.”
In Bangladesh, she said, “we are working on long-term energy security with a sound mix of clean and renewable energy.”
“We shall continue to do our part in pursuing a circular and low-carbon economic growth pathway.”
She underscored the need for increased and easy access to financing and technology from both the public and private sectors.
“I invite UN-ESCAP to help build the capacity of climate-vulnerable countries to mobilise adequate international climate financing.”
PM Hasina said that Bangladesh now provides critical links to the Trans-Asian Highway and Railway networks.
“Our physical and digital infrastructures are being developed to foster regional trade and connectivity.”
She said Bangladesh offers access to the Bay of Bengal for land-locked territories in its neighbourhood.
“We stand ready to work together with all regional partners through mutual understanding and cooperation,” said the prime minister.
Bangladesh and Qatar signed 10 cooperation documents on Tuesday, including five agreements and five MoUs, aimed at strengthening ties and elevating relations to new heights.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani witnessed the signing of the documents.
The five agreements cover cooperation in the legal field, promotion and protection of mutual investments, avoidance of double taxation, maritime transport, and the establishment of a Joint Business Council (JBC) between FBCCI & QCCI.
The five MoUs include cooperation in sports and youth, manpower employment (Labour), diplomatic training, education, higher education, scientific research, and between Qatar Ports management Company “MAWANI QATAR” and Chittagong Ports Authority.
Earlier in the morning, PM Hasina warmly welcomed and received Emir Sheikh Tamim at her office.
They had a tête-à-tête meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, followed by a bilateral meeting.
After signing the visitors’ book, the emir headed for Bangabhaban where the president received him.
A high-level Qatari delegation led by Qatar’s emir is on a state visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the president and the prime minister.
During the ceremony, a road and a park in Dhaka were named after Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
The park, constructed in Kalshi area of Mirpur under Dhaka North City Corporation, and the road from Mirpur ECB point to Kalsi Fly Over were named after Emir of Qatar.
Now, the road and park are known as Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Avenue and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Park.
