Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a gala reception by Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pem at the Royal Palace yesterday. 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 honor. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now in Bhutan on a three-day state visit to attend an international conference on autism.
Bangladesh and Bhutan yesterday inked five deals covering avoidance of double taxation, agriculture, standardization of goods, cultural cooperation and waterways connectivity. The deals were signed yesterday after the official talks between the two countries. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay led their respective sides at the talks. They also witnessed the signing of the deals.
Bangladesh and Bhutan yesterday stressed the need for boosting regional connectivity and expediting the process of implementing the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) initiative to bring prosperity in the region. The issues were discussed at the bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and Bhutan in Thimphu. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh delegation while her Bhutanese counterpart Dasho Tshering Tobgay led his country at the meeting.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith left Dhaka yesterday for USA to participate in the annual spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to be held from April 20 to 23 at Washington DC.
The government yesterday signed two financing agreements amounting to US $74 million with the World Bank to improve the country’s e-government services across its agencies as well as improve the air quality of Dhaka. Of the sum, $39 million go towards scaling up the e-government infrastructure and services that will aid in improving public sector administration and public services. The remaining $35 million will go to the Clean Air and Sustainable project that involves air quality management initiatives and testing models for improving traffic management system in Dhaka.
The government has decided to give training on cyber security to around 10,000 girl students from 40 schools across the country. Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division will implement the training programme on ‘Cyber Security Awareness for Women Empowerment’.
President of the Bangladesh- Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Md Alamgir Jalil visited the Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CMCCI) on Monday. He held a meeting with Vice President of the CMCCI. Md Alamgir Jalil said the businessmen of Malaysia want to invest in different sectors including infrastructure in Chittagong.
The annual inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 4.40 per cent in the last calendar year, according to the latest data released by Bangladesh Bank yesterday.
– Press Wing, London, 19 April 2017