Bangladesh an attractive place for investment: Pranab

Highly praising Bangladesh's remarkable socio-economic development under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said Bangladesh is an attractive place for investment, reports BSS.

Pranab Mukherjee's appreciation came when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban here this afternoon.

After the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

At the outset of the meeting, Karim said, the two leaders exchanged wellbeing.

Pranab Mukherjee narrated his retired life, saying he is now passing his time by reading books.

"I did politics for a long time ... I was in a constitutional post as the Indian president and also in parliament. After retirement, I've enough time to read," he said.

The former Indian president recalled that his first foreign tour as the Indian president was Bangladesh in 2013.

The prime minister highlighted Bangladesh's socio-economic development, saying that poverty rate has been brought down to 22 percent for various pragmatic steps taken by her government.

She said the country's economy counted losses to some extent due to the last year's flood.

About Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has given shelter to over 10 lakh forcibly evicted Myanmar nationals on humanitarian ground.

Sharmishtha Mukherjee, daughter of Pranab Mukherjee, PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and Senior PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were present on the occasion.

Later, the former Indian president joined a luncheon hosted by the premier.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina received Pranab Mukherjee at the main entrance of Ganabhaban by handing over a bouquet.

Pranab Mukherjee arrived here yesterday afternoon on a four-day private visit.