Bangladesh ambassador presents credentials to Austrian president

Bangladesh’s first resident ambassador to Austria Mohammed Abu Zafar has presented his credentials.

He handed the letter of credence to President Heinz Fischer in a ceremony on Wednesday at the historical Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

The foreign ministry said the President expressed his “great happiness” at the bilateral relations and Bangladesh’s opening of resident mission to his country.

He also praised Bangladesh’s recent socio-economic development.

Dhaka opened the mission last month to take what the foreign office then said “friendly relations forward”.

Earlier, ambassador to Germany represented Bangladesh in Vienna.

Dhaka-Vienna ties date back more than four decades as Austria was one of the first European countries to recognise Bangladesh on Feb 4, 1972.

It also gave “moral and material support” during the 1971 Liberation War.

Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman regarded former Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky as “a great friend” of Bangladesh.

Kreisky was honoured with Friends of Liberation War award in 2012.

Ambassador Zafar conveyed greetings of President Md Abdul Hamid to the Austrian president and extended his invitation to him.

Fischer immediately replied that he would consider it “positively” and mentioned that there had been no such visit from Austria to Bangladesh yet.

The ambassador highlighted Bangladesh’s achievements in the areas like food production, reduction of poverty and women empowerment as well as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Vision 2021 to be a middle-income country.

Hotel Park Inn by Radisson (room no 87), Wagramerstrasse 16-18, A-1220, Vienna, is the embassy’s present address.

Bangladeshis living there can contact [e-mail], [e-mail] and call 0043-1260400; 0043-6606744088, 0043-68860653897 for services, the foreign ministry earlier said.