Dhaka, Thimphu seek to scale up cooperation

Bangladesh and Bhutan eye greater regional cooperation by connecting the landlocked Himalayan nation to the Bay of Bengal as Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck began his four-day visit of Bangladesh yesterday.

The officials of the two countries laid special emphasis on regional and sub-regional cooperation on trade and investment, energy and transport, according to a joint statement issued after a meeting between Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in Dhaka.

The two nations signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on establishing Bhutanese Special Economic Zone in Kurigram, setting up a burn and plastic surgery unit in Thimphu by Bangladesh, and technical cooperation on consumer rights.

Besides, an agreement on cultural cooperation was renewed.

Bangladesh has increased the number of Bhutanese students’ admission to MBBS course in public medical colleges to 30 from 22 annually. It has also offered two spots for the Bhutanese foreign service officials at the Foreign Service Academy each year.

Dhaka has also proposed assisting Thimphu in setting up a diplomatic training institute in Bhutan and providing special training to three batches of 7-10 Bhutanese officials each year at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.

Dhaka also gifted Bangladesh-made tabs and laptops to Thimphu for capacity building and skill development of the Bhutanese government officials, said the joint statement.

“Both sides agreed that the two countries can work together in the post-graduation context to collaborate with each other for addressing the related challenges to ensure greater benefits for the peoples of the two countries,” read the statement.

Bhutan recently graduated out of the LDC list, while Bangladesh will graduate in 2026.

Bangladesh and Bhutan inked the Agreement on the Movement of Traffic-in-Transit and its protocol in March last year, which the two sides said will be phenomenal for bilateral trade and also work as a platform for paving the way for an interconnected South Asia.

The two countries also signed the Preferential Trade Agreement for facilitating trade.

Bhutan appreciated that Bangladesh has offered it the Special Economic Zone in Kurigram, 190 kilometres off Bhutan’s southern city of Gelephu.

“The economic zone will add a new horizon in the area of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries and also for achieving greater prosperity in the South Asia region,” the statement said.

Bangladesh proposed importing hydroelectricity from Bhutan, and a trilateral agreement between Bangladesh, Bhutan and India is needed for that.

Dhaka University economics professor Selim Raihan said Bangladesh has been keen to foster sub-regional cooperation with Nepal and Bhutan, who also want the same for having access to the Bay of Bengal.

“Here, India needs to come forward as its land will be used for transport, trade or energy cooperation,” he told The Daily Star.

Bangladesh has helped advance India’s vision of regional connectivity and India too should reciprocate with Bangladesh allowing Dhaka to use of its land for connecting Bhutan and Nepal, he added.

Yesterday morning, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and the first lady received the king and his entourage members at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. He was accorded a red-carpet reception.

The king paid tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud met the king at InterContinental Dhaka, the latter’s place of residence.

Today, the king will visit the National Memorial at Savar and Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. He will also have a meeting with the president at the Bangabhaban at 4:30pm. The president will host iftar and a dinner in honor of the king.

Tomorrow, the Bhutanese king will visit Padma Bridge and Bangladesh Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, Narayanganj. On Thursday, Jigme Khesar will visit Kurigram Special Economic Zone before leaving for Bhutan through Sonahat Land Port.