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President calls on Germany to increase investment in Bangladesh

  • National
  • Lead News
  • 15 October, 2021 11:36:45

Photo: Collected

News Desk: The President called for increasing German investment in Bangladesh's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and high-tech parks. Abdul Hamid. He made the call during a courtesy call on German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin on Thursday afternoon. At the time, President Abdul Hamid called on all international partners, including Germany, to put pressure on the Myanmar authorities to find a lasting solution to the

Rohingya repatriation problem. Abdul Hamid thanked the German government for its support to the ongoing Rohingya crisis and for suspending development cooperation for Myanmar and raising the issue at the United Nations (Germany). "We thank Germany for its policy support for the partial and temporary relocation of the Rohingya," the Bangladeshi president said. To this end, our government has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Referring to the existing bilateral relations with Germany, the President said that Germany and Bangladesh have excellent trade and business relations which are growing day by day. "I believe the experience of leading German companies like Siemens (electricity, telecommunications) and Veridos (e-passport) will be a good example for other German enterprises," he said. The President thanked Germany for arranging the Bangabandhu Professor Fellowship at the University of Heidelberg, Germany recently. He also requested the German government to facilitate visas for Bangladeshi students wishing to pursue higher studies in Germany. Referring to Germany as a long-standing trusted development partner of Bangladesh, the President said Bangladesh appreciates the development assistance and support provided by the German government to Bangladesh every year since independence. "We are grateful for Germany's recent supply of about 800,000 AstraZeneca vaccines and other medical equipment worth about 30 million euros," he said. Abdul Hamid said Bangladesh and Germany have excellent bilateral relations and we look forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. He recalled with gratitude that East Germany at that time was the first European country to recognize an independent Bangladesh in early January 1972 and West Germany recognized Bangladesh in February 1972. On the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the German President thanked him for his thoughtful message in March 2021. In that message, he described Bangladesh as a "vibrant democracy". Acknowledging the bold decisions taken by Germany and the European Union in tackling the adverse effects of climate change, President Abdul Hamid hoped that Germany's new legal system on climate change and environmental protection would show some flexibility in trade with developing countries like Bangladesh.

Noting that Bangladesh and Germany should work together to increase people-to-people contacts, he said Bangladesh is now the most stable country in the Indo-Pacific region, as it maintains a "zero tolerance" policy towards all forms of terrorism and violent extremism. At the same time, the country's economy is growing rapidly and we have moved from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) level to developing countries. Expressing satisfaction over Germany's bilateral trade with Bangladesh, the German President emphasized on exchanges between the two countries at the public-private level to increase trade. Appreciating Bangladesh's initiative in controlling the Corona epidemic, the German President said that his country would continue its cooperation in this regard. During the meeting, they discussed various issues including international politics.

Secretary to the President's Office Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, President's son Russell Ahmed Tuhin and Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan were present during the meeting. President Abdul Hamid has been in Berlin since October 9 as part of his 12-day medical checkup in Germany and the United Kingdom.

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