Bangladesh will expand cooperation with Palestine: FM

Bangladesh will expand its bilateral cooperation with Palestine in “depth and dimensions”, the foreign minister said.

Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali made the remark at a meeting with the visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after his arrival on a three-day state visit on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said.

Ali also said Bangladesh will “continue its support for the cause of Palestine”.

He reaffirmed the continuation of scholarships offered to Palestinian students for studying medicine and other disciplines as well as training opportunities to the Palestinian military officers in Bangladesh.

Both sides hoped at the meeting that the visit will be “successful”.

Earlier, President Md Abdul Hamid received Abbas at the Dhaka airport in a state honour that included gun salute and guard of honour.

Bangladesh is a staunch supporter of Palestine and it does not have any diplomatic relations with Israel.

Dhaka is always in favour of establishing the State of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem being its capital.

Officials say the visit had been planned long before when Abbas made a stopover for two hours at the Dhaka airport on his way to Japan in February last year. The foreign minister then handed over an invitation letter of President Hamid to him.

The foreign ministry said during the visit a MoU was expected to be reached to form a foreign minister-level ‘joint commission’ to work on the issues of “mutual interests”.

Bangladesh and Palestine signed an energy cooperation deal last year. Dhaka also hosts at least 100 Palestinian students, both from military and civilian.

During the visit, Bangladesh will also announce visa waiver for Palestinian diplomats.

Palestine embassy’s Head of Mission in Dhaka Yousuf SY Ramadan earlier said the visit will strengthen the relations.

“I just want to say that as much as the visit is important to Bangladesh, it is extremely important for Palestine because we are keen to develop this relation and do everything possible to make this relations very firm one,” he told bdnews24.com.

Abbas will visit the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971 on Thursday morning.

He will also visit Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi 32 where Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975.

Later after talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office, both sides will have a meeting where issues of bilateral, regional and international interests will be discussed.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad will also see him at Hotel Le Meridian. The president will host a state banquet in his honour.

The prime minister will see him off at the airport on Friday.