DHAKA, Feb 20, 2019 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today
proposed direct air connectivity between Dhaka and Vienna to explore more
avenues of development cooperation and better trade with Austria.
“Austria would like to help us as a partner .. we would like to have a
direct air service with Vienna,” he told newsmen at a joint press briefing
with his visiting Austrian counterpart Dr Karin Kneissl here.
The two foreign ministers briefed the press after holding one-hour
bilateral talks that discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two
countries at the state guesthouse of Meghna.
Kneissl said Austrian officials are working on the direct air link and “It’s
almost ready”.
The Bangladesh foreign minister said Prime Minister sheikh Hasina chalked
out certain development roadmaps aiming to graduate as a developing country by
2021 and turn Bangladesh into prosperous Sonar Bangla by 2041.
“(In this regards) We need lots of investment, we need lots technology
transfer, we need better trade . . . we discussed bilateral issues and those
are win win for us,” the minister said.
Momen said Bangladesh sought to get Australian expertise in the area of
education, power generation, renewable energy and skill development and “they
(Austria) agreed to provide cooperation in these areas”.
The Austrian Foreign minister highly lauded Bangladesh’s amazing
achievements in last one decade “we have discussed our bilateral relations . .
. we are delighted to work together”.
She said an Austrian expert team was accompanying her at the visit and they
were here to explore different ways to increase cooperation between Austria
and Bangladesh in various sectors.
The Austrian foreign minister highly appreciated the tremendous efforts of
Bangladesh to provide humanitarian support to the displaced Myanmar citizens
here.
Kneissl said Austria is working with EU in its efforts for resolving the
Rohingya crisis. “They (the EU) have been serious about the cause (Rohingya
issue),” she said.
The Austrian Foreign Minister arrived here in the morning at the invitation
of her Bangladesh counterpart and she is scheduled to meet Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina later in the day.