French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy on Thursday said France's eagerness to enhance its relationship with Bangladesh is backed by the assumption that Bangladesh matters, that the fate and trajectory of the country do matter for the stability of this part of the world, at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region.
"Many experts and journalists want to think it's all for purely commercial reasons, and are eager to mention so-called 'Airbus deals' and other equivalent trade perspectives. Of course, they are wrong - and biased by our competitors (laughing)," she said while speaking at a reception, celebrating the French National Day at the embassy.
The ambassador said she was asked many times in the last months why France would want to develop a strategic partnership with a country like Bangladesh, whereas it already has strong strategic partners in the region.
Law Minister Anisul Huq spoke at the reception, highlighting the historic ties between the two countries and diverse areas of cooperation.
The envoy said France's vision for a "Third Way" in the Indo-Pacific is based on respecting sovereignty and strategic autonomy of their partners.
"Hence, our eagerness to support Bangladesh in acquiring its strategic autonomy as President Macron recalled in his congratulation letter to the PM last January," she said.
"But it's a fact that our current world continues to be the theatre of unwelcomed developments. It can be very depressing at times. The increasing number of conflict zones, the rise of populism and illiberalism, all this goes also hand in hand with the surge in disinformation," said the French ambassador.
