Will support ‘Happy, Prosperous Nepal’: president

President Abdul Hamid yesterday said Bangladesh will provide all sorts of assistance to Nepal to implement its “Happy, Prosperous Nepal” programme.

The president said this while attending a meeting at a Kathmandu hotel with former prime minister of Nepal and co-chair of Nepal Communist Party Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

He added that Bangladesh and Nepal hold common opinions on different international issues and support each other. The relationship will remain stable in the future, he hoped.

Dahal said the existing relationship between the two countries is excellent. There are ample opportunities to further develop this bilateral link.

Hamid also emphasised increasing connectivity between the countries through road, rail and sky, said President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin.

The president also said Bangladesh is a big market of 170 million people and it wants to help Nepal bring trade balance as the bilateral trade has a potential to grow through duty-free access.

He said both countries are facing the adverse effects of climate change but neither of them is responsible for that. The countries can work together to address the issue and play a vital role in various international forums.

Chairperson of National Assembly (upper house) Ganesh Prasad Timilsina also met President Hamid at the same place. He said Nepal’s relations with Bangladesh are old and cordial.

The president said the support provided by people of Nepal, especially their intelligentsia, had a positive impact on Bangladesh’s Liberation War.

He expressed his gratitude to the government of Nepal in this regard.