Bangladesh has sought more South Korean investment in infrastructure and manpower development as the two countries celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties.
Addressing a seminar to mark the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh-South Korea relationship at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city on Sunday, foreign minister Dipu Moni said Bangladesh needed to take its relationship with Korea to the next level as both the countries still had many things left to offer to each other.
Adviser to the prime minister Gowher Rizvi said more and more South Korean companies should invest through public-private partnership in Bangladesh’s infrastructure.
‘We are looking forward for better relationship between both the countries. The Korea also has a history of struggle like Bangladesh but now it has become the 13th largest economy of the world and we need to learn from them,’ said Dipu Moni.
‘We recall the contribution of Korea to our garments sector, which is the biggest export sector of the country. I hope soon we will work in the climate change sector together,’ she said.
‘Korea has always been a very good friend of Bangladesh and it is the pioneer of foreign investment in garments sector. Bangladesh is doing well in terms of poverty reduction, social safety net and other fronts of the economy so they can increase their investment,’ Gowher said.
‘Korea has investments in garments and owns the country’s largest export processing zone. It also has investment in power and other sectors,’ he added.
South Korean ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Yun-Young said his country was keen to invest in Bangladesh and Bangladesh was his country’s priority partner when it comes to development cooperation, adds Bdnews24.
‘The relationship between the two countries has come a long way. Korea has interest in the field of garments and power and wants to share the future with Bangladesh,’ he said.
Korean National Diplomatic Academy’s Director General Hyun-wook Kim said their current foreign policy aimed at ‘trustpolitik’ particularly when it comes to issues related to the North Korea.
He said despite their economic growth, rising tension in the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea’s nuclear activities remained a challenge.
South Korea opened its embassy in Dhaka in early 1975, more than a year after the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1973.
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies chairman Munshi Faiz Ahmed and director general Sajjadul Haque also spoke on the occasion.
-With New Age input
