Bangladesh, EU keen to elevate ties to next level

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) today expressed keen interest to elevate the existing ties to the next level while holding the first ever “political dialogue” between the two sides here.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and visiting Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Enrique Mora led their respective sides during the dialogue held at State Guest House Padma in the capital.

At a joint press briefing, Alam and Mora said they have expressed their willingness to sign a “partnership cooperation agreement” after holding extensive discussions to uplift the exiting ties between Bangladesh and the EU.

“They (EU) do have such kind of deal with major economy of ASEAN,” Alam said at the briefing.

During the meeting, the state minister said they also analyzed the Rohingya crisis from security perspective and discussed to find a political solution through repatriation of the displaced people from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

Besides, both the sides discussed on various issues related to mutual interest that included security cooperation, free and fare indo-pacific, Ukraine crisis, food security, trade facilities and issue of continuing duty free access facilities of Bangladeshi products to the market after Dhaka’s LDC graduation.

EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley was also present.

Bangladesh and the EU agreed to launch the political dialogue when Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen met the Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels last year. (BSS)