EU keen to cooperate on ‘Blue economy’ and ‘Digital Bangladesh’

‘Blue economy’ and ‘Digital Bangladesh’ are the new areas that the EU ambassador believes can propel the “partnership” between Brussels and Dhaka into a “new era of modernity”.

Pierre Mayaudon, after calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on Wednesday, in a statement said he advocated the need to take the relation to “a new high”.

According to the statement, he discussed with the prime minister a number of issues related to the EU-Bangladesh relations, including trade and development.

The 28-nation bloc is the largest market for Bangladesh’s exports where all products enjoy duty-free access.

Turning Bangladesh into a digitalised nation was a campaign pledge of the ruling Awami League during the parliamentary elections in 2008.

Based on that slogan, the government is expanding the e-services to almost every sector.

Bangladesh took interest in pursuing blue economy recently after it settled maritime boundary disputes with neighbouring India and Myanmar.

Sovereign rights have been established on more than 118,000 square kilometres of maritime territory, 200 nautical miles (NM) of exclusive economic zone, and 354 NM of continental shelf after positive verdicts in international courts.

It has raised hopes of extracting plenty of resources from the Bay of Bengal, considered by Bangladesh as its “third neighbour”.

But Dhaka lacks expertise and technology to exploit the resources, which has prompted the government to seek partnerships.

The EU ambassador earlier at a press briefing termed the concept “inspirational” and said they were exploring the possibilities of cooperation in this field.

During his meeting with the prime minister on Wednesday, the ambassador said blue economy and digital Bangladesh were among the areas where the EU could share its experience and expertise.

Mayaudon also underlined that peace and stability would be “critical” for economic development and deplored violence affecting innocent citizens of Bangladesh.

He reiterated the EU’s rejection of any form of violence and constant call for dialogue.

This was his first meeting with the prime minister after presenting his credentials to President Md Abdul Hamid on Nov 3 last year.