European Parliament delegation meets foreign minister Mahmood Ali

The visiting delegation of the European Parliament (EP) met with Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali at the State Guest House Padma on Thursday afternoon.

Led by Jean Lambert, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the countries of South Asia, the delegation was comprised of Richard Howitt, Ivan Štefanec, and Sajjad Karim.
 
Welcoming the delegation, Mahmood Ali expressed his optimism that relations between Bangladesh and the European Union as well as between Dhaka and the EP would continue to grow in future.
 
The delegation appreciated the progress made under Sustainability Compact concerning labour rights and factory safety in RMG industry in Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said.
 
Ali said that “we have come a long way since Rana Plaza, despite many challenges”.
 
He laid emphasis on building a long-term partnership in this regard, including through seeking continued support from the EP.
 

In response to queries, he apprised the delegation about Bangladesh’s engagements in regional and sub-regional fora, including SAARC, BBIN, BIMSTEC and BCIM-EC, among others.

He also sought support from the EU over realising the potentials of Blue Economy.

The EP delegation appreciated the role of Bangladesh in the Islamic World as a moderate country and expressed its interest in working together in countering global terrorism, extremism and radicalization.

Ali, while referring to the ‘zero tolerance’ policy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on counter-terrorism and violent extremism, assured the members of the EP of Bangladesh’s sustained efforts in this regard.

The delegation ends its three-day visit on Friday.