National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (R) and Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad of Bangladesh Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury (Photo: VNA)Dhaka (VNA) – National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hueheld talks with Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament)of Bangladesh Shirin SharminChaudhury in Dhaka on September 21, following the welcome ceremony.
Chairman Hue is on a Bangladesh visit from September 21-23, the first by the top Vietnamese legislatorat a time when the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Hue congratulated Bangladesh on its recentachievements, especially the more than 7% increase in GDP during the 2021-2022fiscal year, its position as the world's second largest exporter of apparelproducts and a role model in building green factories.
Both leaders expressedappreciation for the traditional friendship between the two countries, with two-waytrade reaching 1.5 billion USD last year. Bangladesh has been the secondbiggest trade partner of Vietnam in South Asia.
At the talks (Photo: VNA) They agreed to facilitate the exchange of delegations at all levelsand via the State, Government, parliamentary and people-to-people exchange channels;step up the implementation of bilateral mechanisms, particularly the JointCommission on Economic, Cultural, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation. Hue alsocommended the recent establishment of the Bangladesh-Vietnam Friendship Association.
Hailing Bangladesh asa promising market with a population of nearly 170 million, Hue suggested more favourableconditions for Vietnam to expand its exports to the South Asian country,particularly those of Vietnam’s strength such as agricultural machinery, rawmaterials, household appliances, electronics, and processed agro-fishery products. He also proposed increasing cooperation in Halal food.
Chaudhury spokehighly of the organisation of the policy and law forum to boost bilateral economic,trade and investment ties.
She called on the Vietnamese firms to explorethe market and invest in Bangladesh, especially in the special economic zonesrecently opened under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's initiative. Thiswould further facilitate Bangladesh's exports, including pharmaceuticals,ceramics, and leather and footwear, contributing to a more balanced trade, shesaid.
The host took note of Hue’s proposals regarding Bangladesh's sending of students and scholars to Vietnamese universities and the establishmentof branches of reputable international universities in Vietnam. She alsoencouraged the signing of contracts for tour packages to Vietnam andBangladesh, as well as strengthening of air connectivity by encouragingairlines to open direct flights or connect via third countries.
The two leaders were pleased to announce theestablishment of the Vietnam-Bangladesh Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group andthe Bangladesh-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, contributing tofurther enhancing exchanges and experience sharing among parliamentarians fromboth countries.
NA Chairman Hue proposed that Bangladesh offer all possiblesupport to the Vietnamese people in the country, who serve as goodwillambassadors between the two countries.
On global and regionalissues of shared concern, host and guest vowed to continue working closelytogether at multilateral forums, especially the UN and mechanismsled by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). They noted that both Vietnam and Bangladesh are members ofthe UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure, whichpresents opportunities to share views and boost cooperation in issues of mutualinterest, including climate change and human rights.
At the signing ceremony for MoU on cooperation between the two legislatures (Photo: VNA) At the end of thetalks, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation betweenthe two legislatures and witnessed the signing of a MoU on cooperation betweenthe two legislature offices.
On the occasion, Hue invited the host to visit Vietnam in her convenient time.She accepted the invitation with pleasure./.
