Abida Islam receives Brazil’s prestigious `Order of Rio Branco’ award

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh Ambassador to Mexico, Abida Islam, has achieved Brazil’s prestigious `Order of Rio Branco’ award for her special contribution to the improvement of bilateral relationship between Brazil and Bangladesh.

Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh, João Tabajara Jr, handed over the award to career diplomat Abida Islam at the Brazilian Embassy in Dhaka yesterday (June 8).

“I am deeply pleased and honoured to receive the prestigious ‘Order of Rio Branco’ award from the Brazilian government for my contributions to further strengthening the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Brazil,” Abida Islam told Zoombangla.

“This award is very inspiring for me and will encourage me to continuously strive to do better,” she added.

Bangladesh and Brazil first held their foreign office consultation in 2017 and then signed several MoUs on cooperation in agriculture, tourism, cultural exchange and training when Abida Islam was director general at the Americas Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following that, the Bangladesh-Brazil Chamber of Commerce was also established, having its chapters in both countries. Such initiatives have trade, which is now $2 billion a year.