PM Holds Meeting With Five Leaders From Different Countries To Discuss Bilateral Issues

Sheikh Hasina arrived here on Tuesday to attend the 2nd Asian-African Summit aimed to share experience, strengthen partnerships and discuss strategies to overcome common challenges and boost economic development in both continents through South-South cooperation.

On the sidelines of the summit, Sheikh Hasina held bilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar President U Thein Sein. She also talked to Chinese President Xi Jin Ping, Singapore Premier Lee Heisen Loong and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud.

PM's Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhuri briefed reporters after the meetings.

The press secretary said the Japanese premier expressed gratitude to his Bangladesh counterpart for her support to Japanese candidacy to be a member of UN Security Council.

Shinzo Abe also appreciated the investment climate in Bangladesh and assured Sheikh Hasina of continued investment of his country to Bangladesh.

He said the Bangladeshi people are energetic and hardworking and they are getting training to improve their skill. "So I hope that Bangladesh would be an ideal place for investment for Japan," he said.

Shinzo Abe said Dhaka-Tokyo bilateral ties, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and economic cooperation, have been strengthened after the reciprocal visit of the Prime Ministers of the two countries last year.

The Japanese premier highly appreciated the dynamic and farsighted leadership of Sheikh Hasina to move forward Bangladesh economically.

Sheikh Hasina said Japan is a tested friend and biggest development partner of Bangladesh.

Congratulating Shinzo Abe on her reelection as the prime minister, she said the relations between Bangladesh and Japan are deepening bilaterally and on various international issues. The ties would improve further and surely reach to a new height.

The Japanese PM expressed satisfaction over the progress of work of the projects being implemented in Bangladesh with Japanese investment, particularly energy and industrial hub in Matarbari of Moheshkhali.

Sheikh Hasina said the Bangladesh government has already taken different steps to implement the projects and is doing everything necessary, including allocation of land.

Welcoming the Japanese investors in Bangladesh, she said the Bangladesh government has already allowed a special economic zone for them to relocate their businesses.

In the meeting with Myanmar President U Thein Sein, the two leaders discussed connectivity issues in the region and laid importance on implementation of Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor for economic development.

The BCIM Corridor should connect Kunming, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka and Kolkata and include Nepal and Bhutan also, Sheikh Hasina said, adding Bangladesh always values good relations with all neighbours and wants to progress together.

The Myanmar president put emphasis on exchange of high-level visit of officials of the two countries to further strengthen the bilateral ties.

They also touched on border issues, collaboration between the border security forces and also stressed the need for regular government-to-government and military-to-military dialogue to resolve pending issues.

The Prime Minister observed that illegal trade of arms and drugs remains as an irritant in the relations between the two countries. In view of this, she said, the two countries will have to promote legal trade.

Earlier during the break of plenary sessions, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Chinese President Xi Jin Ping, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Heisen Loong and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud at Jakarta Convention Centre.

Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haq said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina informed Chinese President Xi Ping about the economic zone being established in Bangladesh for Chinese investors. They also discussed different issues relating to mutual interest, investment and economic cooperation, he said.

Sheikh Hasina expressed her hope to welcome both the Chinese president and the premier marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol