Bangladesh and the Netherlands on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two countries through sustained high-level engagement and enhanced cooperation in bilateral and multilateral fora.
The two countries held wide-ranging discussions on political and economic developments, the Bangladesh-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Bangladesh’s LDC graduation, migration cooperation, human capital development, women’s empowerment, semiconductor technology, education and sports, people-to-people exchanges, as well as regional and multilateral issues.
The issues were discussed when Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh Joris van Bommel paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director for Asia and Oceania at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dominique Kuhling, who is visiting Bangladesh from June 8-10, was also present during the meeting, said the Ministry.
The State Minister appreciated the Netherlands’ longstanding support for Bangladesh’s development journey, particularly in the areas of democratic transition, trade and investment, sustainability in industrial sector, agriculture and water management.
She thanked the Netherlands for its continued support to the Rohingya and host communities and reiterated the importance of ensuring the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar.
