PM seeks Dutch investment in Bangladesh shipbuilding sector

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday offered lands to the Netherlands for investments in the shipbuilding sector of Bangladesh.

“If you (Netherlands) wish, we can give you places for drydocks (in Bangladesh),” she told  outgoing Netherlands Ambassador to Bangladesh Anne Van Leeuwen.

The Dutch envoy paid his farewell call on the premier at the latter’s office in the city, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters after the meeting.

During the meeting, both the PM and the envoy expressed satisfaction over the existing bilateral relations between the two countries and hoped that the cooperation would continue between Bangladesh and Netherlands for economic development.

Different issues including Delta Plan-2100, climate change issue and the global economic situation came up for the discussion, said the press secretary.

The outgoing envoy said he was happy to work here. “Bangladesh will remain in my heart,” he was quoted as saying.

Leeuwen said Delta Plan is a wonderful idea and the Netherlands will give support to Bangladesh for its implementation.

He said Bangladesh can be benefited from the sharing of experiences over water management, agricultural development and ICT as the Netherlands have enough expertise in these sectors.

The Dutch ambassador hoped that the bilateral ties between the two countries would be deepened and stronger in the coming days.

 Hasina said Bangladesh wants to reclaim lands as the Netherlands has done.

During the discussion on the climate change issue, she said Bangladesh will have to sustain amid cyclones and floods. “We’ve to handle climate changes effectively.” she said.

In this context, the prime minister said a huge number of people died in the 1991 cyclone. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman constructed cyclone shelters first in Bangladesh and later her government expanded the programme.

About the global situation, the PM said countries like Bangladesh are under tremendous economic pressure due to the Ukraine war.

PM’s Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin and PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present.