By all accounts, the PM’s recent visit to Canada has been a resounding success that has helped to enhance Bangladesh’s standing in Canadian eyes as well as brought the two countries closer together.
The bestowal of one of Bangladesh’s most prestigious awards, the Friends of Liberation War Honour award, to Pierre Trudeau, the legendary Canadian PM and father of the current PM, was a gracious gesture, and is the kind of deft diplomacy that will stand Bangladesh in good stead and help advance our interests.
Good international relations are a key to Bangladesh’s future, and it is good to see the PM putting in the effort to advance the nation’s interests overseas and create a good impression for the country.
Canada has long been a good friend to Bangladesh, and the recognition that we need to nurture and advance our relations with other countries, and that we do better with the goodwill and good opinion of our allies, is a welcome one.
We are also encouraged by the fact that the extradition of Noor Chowdhury, one of the killers of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been put on the table for discussion, even though Canada’s position on capital punishment still stands as an obstacle to his return.
All in all, then, it seems as though the PM’s trip has achieved its goal of tabling Bangladesh’s concerns at the same time as creating a good impression in Ottawa.
We trust that concrete benefits to both countries will follow, and that the ground has been laid for far-reaching and long-lasting co-operation.
A mutually beneficial and co-operative relationship is to the advantage of both countries, and we very much hope that the ties which were cemented on the trip will continue to strengthen in future.
Good relations with Canada are good for Bangladesh, and making the effort to develop Dhaka’s relationship with Ottawa is a worthwhile endeavour.