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President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged Vietnam to simplify its visa process for Bangladeshi businesspeople, workers, students and tourists to strengthen people-to-people ties and expand bilateral cooperation.
He made the call when Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Nguyen Manh Cuong paid a farewell call on him at Bangabhaban on Thursday.
The President said Bangladesh attaches great importance to its more than five-decade friendship with Vietnam. He stressed the need to expand contacts among businesses, investors and people of both countries and create more opportunities for partnership.
The Vietnamese ambassador highlighted the importance of establishing direct air connectivity between the two capitals, implementing a preferential trade agreement and increasing high-level visits.
He also conveyed an invitation from the Vietnamese president for Fakhrul to visit Vietnam, which the President accepted with thanks.
Fakhrul recalled the warm hospitality he received during his 2003 visit to Vietnam as part of then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s entourage and expressed hope that the historic friendship between the two peoples would continue to grow.
He also called for greater opportunities to increase Bangladesh’s exports to Vietnam and make bilateral trade more balanced and mutually beneficial.
The President urged Vietnam to increase imports of Bangladeshi products, including pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods, ceramics, bicycles, jute and jute products.
The ambassador congratulated Fakhrul on assuming office. The President thanked him for his successful tenure and contribution to strengthening Bangladesh-Vietnam relations, expressing hope that he would continue to promote friendship and cooperation after returning home.
Officials from the President’s Office, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy were present at the meeting.
