Australian High Commission gives reception to Bangladesh cricket team

The Australian High Commission in Dhaka has given a reception to Bangladesh cricket team ahead of the World Cup.

The reception marked the Australian National Day celebrated on Tuesday.

Australia and New Zealand will jointly host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 from Feb 14 to Mar 29.

Bangladesh will face Australia in the group match in Brisbane on Feb 21.

File Photo

High Commissioner Greg Wilcock wished Bangladesh team all the best and said “although my loyalty to the Bangladesh team might lapse that day, I otherwise look forward to seeing the Tigers perform strongly in the ICC World Cup 2015”.

He said financial, political and cultural links between Bangladesh and Australia had “deepened”.

“Our people-to-people ties are also sustained by cricket – ties that were renewed when Bangladesh hosted the ICC T20 World Cup last year,” he said.

Almost 30,000 people of Bangladeshi origin live in Australia, and the community is growing rapidly.

About 7,000 Bangladeshis are studying in Australia.

“The personal ties between us - forged by family, business and education – are striking,” the high commissioner said.

He said over the past 50 years, Australia had been “a reliable development partner”, working through collaborative relationships aimed at reducing poverty and improving sustainability throughout the region.

And these strengths had been reflected in its engagement with the countries of Asia, he said.

He said it was also true of Australia’s relations with Bangladesh.

He said the growing two-way trade reflected Bangladesh’s significant economic growth.