Staff Correspondent

Netherlands will provide full support to the interim government of Bangladesh and strengthen ties in wide-ranging areas including agriculture, maritime and industry.

Dutch Ambassador in Dhaka Irma van Dueren said this today when she paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

The envoy made the assurance that “The Netherlands would strengthen ties with Bangladesh in a wide-ranging areas of cooperation, including agriculture, maritime, industry, youth, knowledge economy, labour, environment and flood management,” she said.

During the meeting, Prof Yunus thanked the Dutch ambassador, saying he has a long personal connection with the Netherlands, including its leadership and businesses.

Seeking Dutch support for the ambitious reform agenda of the interim government, the CA said every institution of Bangladesh was destroyed by the Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic regime.

“We have to reinvent the institutions,” the chief adviser’s press wing quoted Prof Yunus as he said.

The chief adviser said his government is committed to carrying out vital reforms in the education, finance, labour, Election Commission, judiciary, civil administration, business and environment sectors.
The Rohingya crisis was discussed during the meeting.

The chief adviser said young Rohingyas growing up in the shelter camps must be educated and trained so that they do not have a bleak future.

Dueren said they would bring in more Dutch investment in a cluster of potential businesses, including agriculture, water and renewable energy.

Lamiya Morshed, Senior Secretary on SDG Affairs; Kazi Russel Pervez, Director General of the Foreign Ministry; and Thijs Woudstra, Deputy Dutch Ambassador were present at the meeting.