Sweden keen to work with Bangladesh in development strides
Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf on Thursday expressed his country`s interest to work with Bangladesh in its development efforts as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had an audience with the King, reports BSS.
"We don`t want to make investment in Bangladesh only, we also keen to take part in its development strides," Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Hawue quoted the Swedish King as saying.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Haque said the Swedish King highly lauded Bangladesh`s impressive socioeconomic development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The King and the prime minister, he said, discussed the issues of Bangladesh`s becoming role model in poverty alleviation, women empowerment and reduction of child mortality rate.
The foreign secretary said they had a tete-a-tete at the Audience Room of the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
He said on her arrival at the Royal Palace, the prime minister was received by the Swedish King.
Later, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Foreign Office in Stockholm.
During the meeting, the Swedish deputy prime minister highlighted the priority of Bangladesh in Swedish International Cooperation, the foreign secretary said.
Earlier in the morning, the prime minister visited Swedish Parliament and held a meeting with acting Speaker Tobias Billstrom.
Accompanied by the acting speaker, the prime minister went round different sections of parliament.
Swedish Minister for Justice and Migration Morgan Johansson called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel in the afternoon and said Sweden would always consider working of more Bangladeshis in the Scandinavian country.
"Sweden would always be favorably disposed so that more Bangladeshis could come to the country," he said.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the foreign secretary said both Bangladesh and Sweden pledged to work together in the proposed global compact on migration in the United Nations.
Haque said Sweden is an old alliance of Bangladesh on migration issue and Bangladesh, Sweden and Switzerland are working together in the last four to five years on migration issue.
