FM will try to remove West's 'misperception' about Dhaka
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, prior to his departure for Europe yesterday, said he will request the European leaders to expand bilateral cooperation and try to remove misperception, if any, about Bangladesh.
Morshed Khan will visit France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium, and talk to his counterparts in those countries.
"EU has already granted duty-free access of all Bangladeshi products under 'Everything But Arms' (EBA) scheme... I will seek further cooperation in diversification of our trade and capacity building," Khan told reporters at the Zia International Airport.
Apart from readymade garments, Bangladesh also wants to export new products like processed food and pharmaceuticals to the EU countries, he said.
Asked about the EU parliament's two separate resolutions that had expressed concern about governance in Bangladesh, the foreign minister said the resolutions were adopted on wrong information, as that situation had never existed in the country.
"I want to clear the picture about Bangladesh... I want to discuss everything with an open mind," he said, adding that the EU parliament's resolution has no binding on the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union.
Khan said the government has received wide acclamation from Europe and America after the capture of the two JMB kingpins and around 700 operatives of the banned militant outfit.
During his 10-day visit to four European capitals, the foreign minister will meet the French foreign minister, Dutch foreign and development cooperation ministers, and the Swiss foreign minister to discuss bilateral issues, and trade and investment cooperation. He will also pay a courtesy call on the Swiss president.
Khan will also exchange views on important international developments around the world.
In Brussels, the foreign minister will meet with the external affairs commissioner of the European Commission and have separate interactive meetings with Euro parliamentarians.
He will also hold meetings with the representatives of business communities in France and the Netherlands to discuss ways of increasing export of Bangladeshi products to the European countries and investment in Bangladesh.
Khan is expected to return home on May 1.
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