Australian foreign minister due in Dhaka today

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka today on her maiden visit to Bangladesh.

She is visiting Bangladesh with an aim to deepen cooperation, including on trade and investment.

During her two-day visit in Bangladesh, she is expected to hold separate meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her counterpart Hasan Mahmud among other members of the government.

The Australian foreign minister is also expected to travel to Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

“This week I will travel to Bangladesh and Singapore to advance Australia’s interests in a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean region,’ said Penny Wong, also leader of the government in the senate, in a statement over her official visit, announced through a media release on Monday (May 20).

“As Australia enhances our engagement with the Indian Ocean region, I am pleased to undertake my first visit to Bangladesh,” she said.

Australia is working with Bangladesh to deepen our cooperation, including on trade and investment, and to find practical solutions to shared challenges such as climate change, regional maritime security and people smuggling, according to the release sent by the Australian embassy in Dhaka.

Australia and Bangladesh have significant people-to-people links, with over 50,000 Bangladeshis live in Australia, it mentioned.

“I will also travel to Cox’s Bazar, where I will see how Australia’s humanitarian assistance is delivering practical support to displaced Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities, the Australian foreign minister said.

Australia’s humanitarian assistance is part of a global effort to address the causes of displacement, find durable solutions, and ultimately allow Rohingya to realise their goal of returning to their homeland.

However, while talking to the media, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said trade and investment will be given priority on the bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart.