Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin hosted a farewell luncheon in honour of the departing Ambassador of Bhutan H.E. Mr. Rinchen Kuentsyl at the State Guest House Padma today.
Prior to the luncheon, Bhutanese Ambassador made a farewell call on the Foreign Secretary. During the call, both sides discussed various aspects of the Bangladesh-Bhutan bilateral relations.
Foreign Secretary congratulated the Bhutanese Ambassador for his successful tenure in Bangladesh and praised his active role in advancing the Bangladesh-Bhutan ties. Reflecting on Ambassador Kuentsyl’s tenure, Foreign Secretary highlighted some notable achievements such as the the visit of His Majesty the King of Bhutan to Bangladesh and the signing of important bilateral instruments, including the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and the MoU on Cooperation for establishing a Bhutanese Special Economic Zone in Kurigram. He expressed hope that both the countries will be able to maximize the potential of these instruments for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
Foreign Secretary mentioned that Bhutan has a special place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh, as it was the first country to recognize Bangladesh. Over the years, the relations deepened in depth and dimensions expanding areas of cooperation in trade and commerce, power, education, cultural exchange, people-to-people contacts etc. However, there remains immense potential to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Expressing satisfaction, the Bhutanese Ambassador conveyed his deep appreciation to the Government of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular for the steadfast support he received throughout his tenure. The Ambassador reaffirmed Bhutan’s commitment to further strengthening ties with Bangladesh on the basis of goodwill and mutual interests.
Both sides also agreed that Bangladesh and Bhutan have numerous opportunities to explore under the aegis of regional cooperation, especially SAARC and BIMSTEC.
Foreign Secretary wished the Bhutanese Ambassador success in his future assignments.