Photo: Collected
Germany has shown interest in making its economic and political relations with Bangladesh closer. To this end, a visiting parliamentary delegation is examining areas for increasing cooperation in the trade, investment and energy sectors, including possible cooperation in natural gas extraction in Bhola.
The German Embassy in Dhaka said in a press release today that a delegation of the ‘German-South Asian Parliamentary Group’, led by Nicklas Kappe of the CDU/CSU, concluded a three-day visit to Bangladesh from 17 to 19 September.
The visit brought to the fore Europe’s growing interest in having Bangladesh as a geo-economic partner. At the same time, the possibilities of further deepening commercial links and of cooperation in the energy sector were also looked into.
During the visit, the delegation held meetings with Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikram) and members of the parliamentary standing committee on the foreign affairs ministry.
Bangladesh’s political and economic situation, trade and investment opportunities, climate change and the protracted Rohingya crisis were discussed at the meetings.
The two sides also talked about the challenges of Bangladesh’s energy sector and reviewed the matter of possible cooperation in natural gas extraction in Bhola.
Both sides also expressed interest in taking forward discussions on a free trade agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and the European Union.
They also stressed the importance of the international community’s continued support for resolving the Rohingya crisis and of keeping up international pressure on Myanmar.
As part of its engagement with the private sector, the delegation visited several German industrial enterprises operating in Bangladesh, such as Heidelberg Materials, CHT and Siegwerk.
The delegation also toured the ‘Meghna Industrial Economic Zone’ in Narayanganj. Through this, they got a first-hand idea of the state of Bangladesh’s manufacturing and industrial sector and the contribution of German companies working in the country.
The German lawmakers praised Bangladesh’s huge consumer market and competitive workforce, and also discussed the existing challenges in doing business.
Beyond economic cooperation, the delegation also discussed democratic inclusion and social development.
The Speaker apprised the German lawmakers of women’s political representation in Bangladesh. On the other hand, deputy head of the delegation Ulle Schauws exchanged views with several leading local women’s rights and environmental organisations, centring on sustainable social development.
