PM hopes Bangladesh-EU relations will strengthen further

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today hoped that relations between the European Union (EU) and Bangladesh will continue to strengthen further.

"EU-Bangladesh relations will continue to strengthen," she said when EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink paid a farewell call on her at Gono Bhaban this morning.

The prime minister told the envoy that Bangladesh has attached priorities to environment in all of its development schemes as it is a climate vulnerable country, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Ihsanul Karim said while briefing media after the meeting.

Teerink told the premier that EU member countries will extend support to Bangladesh to face the adverse impacts of climate change.

Hasina expressed her keenness to share Bangladesh's experience in dealing with natural disasters.

"We can share the experience we have in handling natural disasters like flood, cyclone and river erosion," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has adopted "Delta Plan" which will help tackle the climate change impacts.

The prime minister and the EU ambassador also discussed about the Covid-19 situation. The premier said her government has been able to control coronavirus and the people of the country are showing interest in vaccination.

The outgoing EU envoy commended Bangladesh for handling the Covid-19 situation successfully. The prime minister appraised the EU envoy about the river dredging in Bangladesh.

Rensje Teerink, who hails from the Netherlands, said her country has some ambitious plans to help the climate vulnerable countries to face the climate change impacts.

The EU envoy said her country has expertise in facing climate change issues and they can share it with Bangladesh. Describing Bangladesh as a stable country, she commended the overall development of here, citing the Padma Multipurpose Bridge as an important part of development.

The EU envoy said they have worked with Bangladesh in the Social Safety Net Programme.

About the Rohingyas, Sheikh Hasina said it is becoming a security threat as many forcibly displaced people have engaged themselves in anti-social activities.

Prime minister's Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and her Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus were present during the meeting.