PBA DESK : Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen has said his priority would be to pursue “economic diplomacy” which has close inter-linkages with Bangladesh’s foreign policy objectives.
Dr. Momen was speaking at a dinner hosted in his honour by Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali on Friday night.
He was on a three-day official visit to New Delhi to attend the 5th India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission meeting.
The dinner reception was attended by over 50 New Delhi-based Ambassadors concurrently accredited to Bangladesh besides high government officials, local elite and journalists.
The Foreign Minister said the current government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has aligned its foreign policy with the ‘Vision-2021’ and ‘Vision-2041’ to elevate the country to a middle income one by 2021 and an advance economy by 2041.
“Bangladesh is now widely acclaimed and recognized as a self-reliant, progressive and one of the fastest growing economies,” he said adding, “Bangladesh is cited today as a role model for many other developing countries for its impressive socio-economic development.”
Momen said in order to strengthening bilateral trade and business relations and attracting investment from the host countries, Bangladesh missions are actively engaged in promotional activities on regular basis through, inter alia, arranging seminar and symposium, briefing the host governments, business entities/organizations on the trade and business and investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
New diplomatic missions are being established in South America, Africa and East Europe to tap the potentials of trade and business in new geographical areas. GOB is signing and ratifying bilateral trade and investment agreements with more countries, developing enhanced trade relations with the neighbors and countries in the region, the Foreign Minister said.
Dr. Momen urged the ambassadors to pursue opening their resident diplomatic missions in Bangladesh for deepening “our relations on a WIN-WIN basis.”
High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali delivered the welcome address.
PBA/zizi
