Bangladesh envoy gets rare audience with Ontario Premier

The Premier of Ontario province of Canada, Doug Ford, has congratulated the Bangladesh Consulate General in Toronto for its ‘outstanding accomplishment’ of one year of commencement.

He was receiving Bangladesh Consul General Nayem Uddin Ahmed at Queens Park, Toronto on Thursday.

The Consulate General said the Bangladesh Consul General was amongst a “handful” Consuls General in Toronto to have the ‘opportunity’ to meet the Premier Doug Ford, one of the most influential Premiers of Canada.

The Consul General mentioned that opening of the new Consulate General of Bangladesh in Toronto was a commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the Bangladesh diaspora living in Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Manitoba and Alberta.

Mentioning the time-tested and robust relations with Canada, he recalled the support of Canada during the Liberation War and mentioned that the present government led by the Prime Minister attaches ‘special importance’ to its’ relations with Canada.

He said Bangladesh is emerging as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. “Bangladesh, therefore, is keen to develop new avenues of trade and investment with Ontario.”

The Ontario Premier lauded the economic achievement of Bangladesh and assured the Consul General of his “full cooperation, both in personal and official capacity”.

He particularly stressed the environment friendly nuclear energy reactors, economic immigration, education and Hi-tech IT based cooperation.

The Premier mentioned that Ontario will require another 250,000 skilled jobs, where Bangladesh can be a great source of skilled manpower.

The Bangladesh Consul General added that the Consulate General has successfully organised the first ever ‘Bangladesh-Canada Business Forum-2019’ in last September and looks forward to consolidating the momentum of the Business Forum.

He particularly urged for cooperation in ICT, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, waste and water management, renewable energy, veterinary medicine, tertiary medical equipment, and agro-food processing as the priority areas.

He requested the Premier to send a Trade Mission to Bangladesh to witness the outstanding economic development taking place under the present government and determine prospective areas of trade and investment, which the Ontario Premier has very graciously agreed to.

At the end of the meeting Consul General handed over Bangabandhu’s ‘Prison Diaries’ and a traditional ‘Nakshi Kantha’ as a token of gesture to the Ontario Premier.

Consuls Mansurin Choudhury and Manuar Mukarram accompanied the Consul General during the meeting.