PM Hasina terms Thai visit a milestone, seeks investments in public health
“I strongly feel that we have the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, food security, tourism, public health, energy, ICT, people-to-people contacts and connectivity, and also under the BIMSTEC,” she said
Terming her ongoing official trip to Thailand a milestone in bilateral relations, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged Thailand to explore the possibility of investing in hospitals and medical facilities, as well as in special economic zones and hi-tech parks in Bangladesh.
"I strongly feel that we have the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, food security, tourism, public health, energy, ICT, people-to-people contacts and connectivity, and also under BIMSTEC," she said at an official luncheon hosted by her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin at the latter's office, Government House, in Bangkok on Friday (26 April).
"We agreed to make all efforts to enhance our bilateral trade and encourage more interactions between the public and private entities of the two countries. Likewise, we must make all efforts to promote and facilitate bilateral investments," she said.
The PM said she firmly believes this visit would provide the much-needed impetus to the bilateral relations to its full potential. "This official visit will remain a milestone in our bilateral relations. It has ushered in a new era of fruitful partnership between our two countries," she said.
Before the luncheon, Sheikh Hasina and Srettha Thavisin had a 15-minute one-on-one meeting before leading their respective sides to a bilateral meeting at the Government House.
Following the meeting, five bilateral documents – an agreement, three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and a letter of intent (LOI) – were signed in the presence of both prime ministers.
The documents are – an agreement on visa exemption for those with official passports, an MoU on energy cooperation, an MoU on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters, an MoU on cooperation in the field of tourism, and an LOI on starting negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year.
At a joint press conference after the bilateral meeting, PM Hasina said, "We discussed the possibility of cooperation on training and capacity building for Bangladeshi medical personnel. I also proposed to him [Srettha Thavisin] to explore the possibility of investing in hospitals and medical facilities in Bangladesh."
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh attaches great importance to her relations with Thailand as an immediate neighbour.
"Our friendship is deeply rooted in our historical, linguistic, and common cultural heritage. The warm and cordial relations between our two countries are ever-growing in multi-faceted areas of cooperation," she said.
"We see Thailand as a very important and dynamic partner in our engagement with the vibrant economies of Southeast Asia," said the Bangladesh PM.
"I assured the prime minister [Thavisin] to take the necessary measures for investment facilitation and ease of doing business in Bangladesh. I proposed to the Thai side to invest in our special economic zones and hi-tech parks and to take one SEZ, exclusively for Thailand," said Hasina.
The two sides explored the possibility of collaboration in the agriculture and food processing sectors, she said.
Regarding maritime connectivity, PM Hasina said the two sides discussed the direct shipping line between Ranong Port and Chattogram Port. Bangladesh is following with great interest Thailand's flagship "Landbridge project."
"I proposed to the Thai side to enhance cooperation among specialised universities between the two countries, especially in agriculture, fisheries, and food processing," said Hasina.
The two prime ministers also discussed regional cooperation mechanisms under the BIMSTEC framework. Thailand, as the current chair and host of the Summit to be held later this year, will hand over the chairmanship to Bangladesh.
"We firmly believe that BIMSTEC is a key driver of regional economic growth for a total population of 1.8 billion. To achieve a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh sought the support of Thailand," she said.
Hasina also invited Prime Minister Thavisin to undertake a return visit to Bangladesh.
The Thai prime minister, at the joint press conference, said Thailand and Bangladesh are committed to working together towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and expressed optimism that the Letter of Intent would help to expedite the negotiation process.
He said the agreement on visa exemption for holders of official passports will facilitate more travel between Thai and Bangladeshi officials and the MoU on energy cooperation will help materialise the two countries' true potential from energy cooperation.
Srettha Thavisin said the MoU on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters will lead to effective border control and anti-smuggling operations and the MoU on cooperation in the field of tourism will allow the two countries to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices in this area.
Upon her arrival at Government House, Hasina was received by Thavisin. She was accorded a warm welcome at the front lawn of the Thai Kooh Fah building.
Hasina was accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and Bangbandhu's grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq while visiting a Thai handicrafts exhibition at the Government House.
PM Hasina arrived in Bangkok on 24 April on a six-day official visit to Thailand at the invitation of her Thai counterpart.