Australian Assistant Minister for Defence Matt Thistlethwaite has said his country is ready to work with Bangladesh.
"Australia is ready to work with the present government of Bangladesh as the country has formed a new government after holding credible national elections on January 7, this year," he said while addressing an event at a hotel in Australia’s capital Canberra on Tuesday marking Independence Day and National Day of Bangladesh, organized by the Bangladesh high commission.
Thistlethwaite said Australia and Bangladesh are maintaining very close relations with each other.
"The relations of both the countries have been strengthened following a visit of the then Australian prime minister, Edward Gough Whitlam, who served from 1972 to 1975, in January 1975.”
He noted that Australia recognized Bangladesh on January 31, 1972 after its independence.
The bilateral participation of Bangladesh and Australia also will advance exhaustively during this time, Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Australia M Allama Siddiqui said.
He expressed gratitude to the Australian government and the people for playing a role in the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
The programme was also attended by Australian Federal Member of Parliament Andrew Charlton, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Peter John Cain, diplomats from different countries in the world, other Australian government officials, and expatriate Bangladeshis.
