Dhaka Correspondent:
The new Ambassador of Brazil to Bangladesh, Mr. Paulo Fernando Dias Feres, called on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, today at his Ministry of Foreign Affairs office.
State Minister Shahriar Alam welcomed the new Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh and congratulated him on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Brazil. He also congratulated the newly elected President of Brazil, Mr. Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva for his remarkable victory. The State Minister said Bangladesh looks forward to working with the new administration to strengthen its political and trade relations further.
Referring to his recent visit to Brazil, the State Minister thanked the Brazilian government for concluding Visa Exemption Agreement for Diplomatic and Official Passports holders and the MoU between the Foreign Service Academy and Bangladesh and the Rio Branco Institute of Brazil. He also mentioned that three business MoUs with the apex Chambers in Brazil were important stepping stones toward greater commercial cooperation between the two friendly countries.
State Minister Shahriar Alam highlighted Bangladesh’s interest in importing sugar, wheat, and soybean oil from Brazil.
They also discussed the possibility of investing in the fields of high-breed cows, poultry and poultry feed, and fisheries in Bangladesh. The State Minister also hoped that Brazil would facilitate Bangladesh’s initiative to have preferential trade agreements with the MERCOSUR countries.
Brazilian Ambassador said that during his tenure, he would like to work on introducing Bangladesh better to the Brazilians, work intensely to strengthen people-to-people and business-to-business contacts, and widen trade relations with Bangladesh. Ambassador Feres appreciated Bangladesh’s economic strides in the last decade. The Ambassador expressed his country’s keen interest in working closely with Bangladesh on mutual benefits in the bilateral and multilateral fora. He sought the government’s cooperation during his tenure in Dhaka.
(Moshiur Ananda)