Dhaka, 13 April 2019    

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held official talks this morning with the Prime Minister of Bhutan Dr. Lotay Tshering, who is on a 4-day official visit to Bangladesh. The talks were held in a warm and cordial environment at the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office. Sheikh Hasina led a 16-member delegation to the talks comprising of cabinet ministers, secretaries and high-level officials of the Government. The Bhutanese Prime Minister also led a high powered 16-member delegation from the Royal Government of Bhutan.

During the meeting, the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations whose strong foundations were laid by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and His Majesty JigmeDorjiWangchuck. The two Prime Ministers recognized the new heights that the bilateral relations have reached in the last decade under the leadership of the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen and consolidate the relations.

The two Prime Ministers recalled the socio-economic development which has taken both countries on the threshold of being elevated from LDC status in the coming few years. In this regard, the potential for enhancing bilateral trade, including the use of inland waterways for transportation of bilateral trade and transit cargoes was discussed and an SOP was signed to this effect. Export/Import of electricity, investment in hydropower in Bhutan, multi-modal connectivity, particularly through the BBIN initiative were also discussed.

To enhance cooperation in the health sector, an MOU was signed to facilitate the recruitment of Bangladeshi specialist doctors by Bhutan under attractive remuneration packages. Bhutanese Prime Minister, himself a medical doctor from Mymensingh Medical College, thanked the Bangladesh side for providing opportunities for Bhutanese students in higher educational institutions in Bangladesh, particularly in the medical colleges. Bangladesh Prime Minister announced an increase of 5 additional seats for Bhutanese students in government medical colleges in Bangladesh, taking the total number of seats reserved for Bhutan to 15 per year.

MOUs were also signed on cooperation in the field of agriculture, tourism and on mutual collaboration in the field of public administration training.

A Joint Statement will be issued at the end of the visit.

Before the official talks, the two Prime Ministers met for a tete-a tete where Sheikh Hasina recalled with gratitude that Bhutan was the first country to recognize the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. The Bhutanese premier, while visiting the National Martyrs Memorial at Savar and the Bangabandhu National Museum yesterday, expressed his deep sympathies for the people of Bangladesh who endured the genocide and atrocities during the Liberation War in 1971.

Bangladesh Prime Minister thanked her Bhutanese counterpart for the visit and expressed hope that he would enjoy the PohelaBoishakh celebrations in Dhaka and experience the spirit of tradition, harmony and tolerance amongst the people of Bangladesh. The visiting Prime Minister will join the Surer Dhara musical soiree celebrating the Bangla New Year at BICC, Dhaka early morning tomorrow followed by a visit to his alma mater Mymensingh Medical College.