EU eager to scale up partnership with Dhaka

European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley yesterday congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her re-election as the prime minister for the fourth consecutive term.

The partnership and cooperation with Bangladesh will scale a new height, Whiteley said while paying a courtesy call on Hasina at the Gono Bhaban in the morning.

The existing benefits, which are currently Bangladesh is getting in various sectors including environment, good governance, renewable energy, and transportation under the Global Gateway initiative, will be further enhanced in the days to come, said Md Noorelahi Mina, PM's deputy press secretary, quoting Whiteley after the meeting.

To this end, the EU already gave Bangladesh 407 million euros during the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels in October last year.

The EU envoy promised to continue the benefits given to Bangladesh under Everything but Arms scheme and also pledged to give Bangladesh the GSP plus facilities upon graduation from the least-developed country bracket, according to Mina.

The EU ambassador also highly praised the initiatives taken by the Hasina-led government for people with disabilities and the marginalised ones.

The premier has expressed her satisfaction with the existing relations between her country and the EU over the last 50 years.

"This relationship between Bangladesh and the EU will be elevated to a new height," she said.

Hasina thanked the EU for continuing support under the EBA and sought much cooperation in different sectors, including renewable energy under the Global Gateway initiative.

Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin and Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present.