Ambassador Tran Van Khoa met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka on Thursday, where he expressed his satisfaction with the extension of the memorandum of understanding on rice trade between Bangladesh and Vietnam. The ambassador also mentioned that the first shipment of rice from Vietnam is set to arrive in Chittagong within 15 days. Prime Minister Hasina emphasized the importance of preserving extra food to address any unforeseen circumstances, while also acknowledging Vietnam's impressive socioeconomic progress following the war. She stated, "Vietnam serves as a model for us and we look up to it. We had to struggle for independence just like Vietnam." The prime minister highlighted the importance of enhancing connectivity and economic collaboration between Bangladesh and Southeast Asian countries. She suggested that Bangladesh and Vietnam could exchange knowledge in various areas such as trade and culture. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with the new Vietnam Ambassador to Bangladesh Tran Van Khoa at her office in the parliament. Photo: PID

Hasina referred to poverty as a shared issue among developing nations and urged for joint efforts to eradicate this 'curse'. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a meeting with the new Vietnam Ambassador to Bangladesh, Tran Van Khoa, at her office in the parliament. She expressed that they can achieve success if they work together. The Vietnamese ambassador appreciated Bangladesh's efforts in combating terrorism and the impacts of climate change, stating that they have commonalities and can learn from each other. Tran Van Khoa also praised Bangladesh's 7.24 percent GDP growth in the past fiscal year and conveyed best wishes from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the Bangladesh premier. He also gave Hasina a book about the life of Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader, which contained memories of the War of Liberation. Khoa mentioned that both countries had acknowledged their Wars of Liberation and highlighted the importance of high-level delegation visits. He stated that his main goal as the new envoy was to enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries and continue cooperation in various sectors. The Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Senior PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were in attendance. In April, unseasonal downpours flooded Boro rice crops in Bangladesh, leading to the decision to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to replenish the supply. The official figures indicate that the damaged crops would have produced approximately 600,000 tons of rice, while unofficial estimates suggest the number is closer to 2.2 million tons. To combat rising local prices, the government has reduced import duties and issued new tenders.