Austrian minister Karin Kneissl calls on President

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DHAKA, Feb 20, 2019 (BSS) – Federal minister for Europe, Integration and foreign minister of Austria Dr Karin Kneissl paid a courtesy call on President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban this evening.

President Abdul Hamid welcomed the Austrian minister to Bangladesh.

President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin later briefed the journalists.

President Abdul Hamid recalled the moral support extended by the government and people of Austria to Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971.

Mentioning that the then Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky was honoured with Friends of Liberation War Honour Award in 2012, he said Austria was one of the first countries in Europe as well as in the world which recognized Bangladesh on February 4, 1972.

The President stated that there exists a huge scope for expansion of the trade and investment between Bangladesh and Austria.

He also gave importance on the increase of the relationship between the two countries for the best use of this opportunity.

Expressing sincere thanks to the Austrian government for the support expressed to Bangladesh on the issue of Rohingya people who have taken temporary shelter in Bangladesh, Abdul Hamid stressed the importance of keeping Myanmar under pressure to ensure safe, orderly and sustainable return of the Rohingya to their home Myanmar.

He also sought the moral support from Austria in the international forum to raise the voice for the safe Rohingya repartition.

The Austrian minister lauded the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.

Dr Karin Kneissl also described the development in agriculture sector of Bangladesh as an exemplary one.

During the visit of the Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism of Bangladesh to Austria in May 2017, the negotiation on air service agreement between the two countries was concluded.

Underscoring the importance of bilateral relationship, President Abdul Hamid hoped that formal signing of the Air Services Agreement would help gain further momentum in bolstering trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people contacts through air connectivity between the countries including direct flights.

Secretaries to the President were also present during the meeting.