Bangladesh ambassador to Nepal, Md Shafiqur Rahman paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal, Dol Prasad Aryal, at his office today.
The Embassy of Bangladesh to Nepal informed this in a press release on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the ambassador congratulated the Speaker on assuming his new responsibilities and conveyed the greetings and sincere felicitations of the Speaker of the Bangladesh Parliament. He also thanked the Aryal for Nepal’s support for the candidacy of Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister for the election of the President of the General Assembly (PGA).
Recalling the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Nepal, founded on mutual respect and shared values, Shafiqur described the two countries as close and friendly neighbours. He highlighted the vast, yet largely untapped, potential for cooperation in various sectors.
Shafiqur noted that both nations face similar challenges in development and socio-economic transformation, necessitating stronger mutual cooperation, exchange of experiences, and partnership.
Shafiqur expressed Bangladesh’s interest and readiness to expand bilateral activities in energy, trade, tourism, education, agriculture, food security, women’s empowerment, and youth development.
He further emphasised the importance of closer collaboration within regional and international forums, including SAARC and BIMSTEC, to boost trade, connectivity, and investment in South Asia.
In response, Speaker Aryal praised Bangladesh’s significant successes in economic growth and infrastructural development, suggesting that Bangladesh’s experience could fruitfully contribute to Nepal’s own development journey.
He remarked that sports are increasingly bringing the youth of both nations closer, fostering friendship and mutual understanding. The speaker also stressed the importance of tourism, cultural exchange, and enhanced people-to-people contact to solidify bilateral ties.
Touching upon environmental issues, Aryal noted that climate change and ecological risks in the Himalayan and coastal regions are a joint concern for the entire region. He called for greater regional cooperation to address these challenges.
He also expressed appreciation for Bangladesh’s continued support in providing scholarships and educational facilities for Nepali students pursuing medical and technical studies.
Reaffirming Nepal’s commitment to advancing bilateral relations, Aryal assured his full support in consolidating cooperation through his legislative duties.
He expressed interest in strengthening exchange programmes between parliamentary committees and underscored the importance of using the Parliamentary Friendship Group as an effective platform to further parliamentary cooperation and democratic practices.
