Hasina urges Bhutanese PM to expedite BBIN process

Desk Report: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the Bhutanese government to expedite the process for ratifying the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement.

She also said that this initiative could be adjusted with the environmental concern of Bhutan.

The Bangladesh premier made the call during her bilateral meeting with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay at Royal Banquet Hall of Gyalyong Tshogkhang here on Tuesday evening.

After the meeting, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

In response, the Bhutanese Prime Minister said that his country is also committed to the BBIN process and also looking into the matter as how to address the environmental concerns once the connectivity of BBIN initiative becomes effective.

"Bhutan will take care of the matter with the spirit of BBIN once the Environmental concerns are addressed," the foreign secretary quoting the Bhutanese PM.

Regarding tourism, the Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay said that they would send a delegation to Bangladesh on how to establish a tourism corridor centering Cox's Bazar and Kuakata and thus explore the potentials.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apprised her Bhutanese counterpart about her government's recent initiative to declare March 25 as the 'Genocide Day', and sought support of Bhutan in this regard for getting its international recognition.

The foreign secretary said that the MoUs and agreements signed yesterday between the two countries in sectors like agriculture, avoidance of double taxation, cultural cooperation, use of inland waterways would further facilitate trade and commerce and thus boost the bilateral ties between the two countries.

He said that since Bhutan is one of the countries which recognized Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971, Bangladesh and Bhutan enjoy a special relation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a gala reception by Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pem at Tashichhodzong, the Royal Palace on Tuesday afternoon.

On her arrival at the main gate of the Royal Palace in the afternoon, the prime minister was ceremonially received and later escorted inside the palace by a cabinet minister and senior Bhutanese officials.

She was later given a guard of honour.

Then, the prime minister had an audience with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema.

Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told journalists that the Prime Minister spent some times with the King and Queen exclusively.

Shahidul Haque said the King introduced his 14-month-old baby boy for the first time and addressed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as his son's "grandmother".

Apart from the Bhutanese King and Queen and Sheikh Hasina, Saima Wazed Hossain, Sheikh Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddique Bobby and his wife and children were present there.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now in Bhutan on a three-day state visit to attend an international conference on autism.

BSS

risingbd/DHAKA/Apr 19, 2017/Saiful/Amirul