Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said that graduation from a country like Bangladesh should rather be rewarded with continued Everything But Arms (EBA) amenities to overcome challenges and support transition.
He mentioned this when Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bangladesh Anne Gerard van Leeuwen paid a farewell call to him.
Momen requested more collaboration with the Dutch excellence in achieving the goals of Delta Plan 2100 — water and maritime resources management, land reclamation, coastal management, advanced agricultural technologies, high-variety seed production and climate change adaptation.
He thanked the Dutch government for assistance in establishing the 'Global Centre on Adaptation' in Bangladesh and briefed him about the progress made by Bangladesh in disaster preparedness including cyclone shelter, advanced warning system and volunteers.
Momen urged the need for climate funding for the least polluters like Bangladesh and mentioned that only 10 per cent of the global defence budget could help raise adequate money in this regard.
The minister also asked for taking leverage of Special Economic Zones, Hi-tech parks and huge pool of IT professionals for Dutch investment and businesses particularly in the IT and agro-processing sectors.
He thanked the Dutch government for its political and financial support for the Rohingyas, highlighted the need for continuation of so, and yet, expressed concern over the declining trend of financial assistance for the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
Terming Bangladesh as a fascinating place to work, Ambassador Leeuwen thanked the Bangladesh government for making his tour of duty comfortable and fruitful.
He fondly recalled his visits to the Sundarbans, Sylhet, Moulvibazar and some North-Eastern districts of the country to enjoy natural beauty-birds and rivers.
The envoy commended the remarkable socio-economic development of Bangladesh despite the COVID pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, and highly praised all ongoing economic activities and the dynamism of people.
The Ambassador thanked Bangladesh for hosting 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas and hoped for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Momen congratulated the Dutch Ambassador for the successful completion of his tenure in Bangladesh and thanked him for his strong contribution towards adding momentum to the bilateral relations further.
