Dhaka attaches great importance to relations with Male

First High Commissioner of the Maldives to Bangladesh Dr Abdul Samad Abdullah presents his credentials to President Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban in the city yesterday.Photo: PID

President Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday said Bangladesh attaches great importance to her relations with the Maldives as the two brotherly countries have been working together at various platforms, including Saarc.
The president made the remark when the first High Commissioner of the Maldives to Bangladesh Dr Abdul Samad Abdullah presented his credentials to him at Bangabhaban.
Iajuddin recalled the contribution of the Maldives President Mamoon Abdul Gayoom to strengthen the Saarc since its inception and invited the Maldives president to visit Bangladesh at his convenience.
The Maldives, he said, could benefit by importing Bangladeshi goods, including readymade garments, medicine, jute and leather goods, and melamine.
The president said the Maldivian students could take the opportunity of pursuing higher studies in the universities in Bangladesh, including the Dhaka University.
He requested the envoy for his efforts towards taking initiatives to increase cooperation between Bangladesh and the Maldives in various fields, particularly sharing experiences in development and expansion of the tourism sector and in boosting the existing volume of bilateral trade.
The new envoy expressed his satisfaction at the present brotherly relations between the two countries.
He said that he would take the initiatives to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation between Dhaka and Male and to import Bangladeshi products for the benefit of the Maldivian people.
The High Commissioner also expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh for its assistance for the Tsunami affected people in 2004.
Secretary of the President's Office Md Sirajul Islam, Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Acting Foreign Secretary MAK Mahmud and President's Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were present.
Earlier, on his arrival at Bangabhaban, a smart contingent of the President's Guard Regiment gave the High Commissioner a guard of honour.