Ambassador Tran Van Khoa met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka on Thursday, during which he expressed his satisfaction with the extension of the memorandum of understanding on rice trade between Bangladesh and Vietnam. The ambassador also informed reporters that the first shipment of rice from Vietnam is expected to arrive in Chittagong within 15 days. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Hasina stated the importance of preserving extra food to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances. She also highlighted Vietnam's impressive socioeconomic progress since the war. She stated that Vietnam serves as a model for them to follow, noting that they 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 mentioned that Bangladesh and Vietnam could exchange their 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. A photo was taken during the meeting. Hasina emphasized the need to work together to eradicate poverty, which she referred to as a common issue for developing nations. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with the newly appointed Vietnam Ambassador to Bangladesh, Tran Van Khoa, at her office in the parliament. During the meeting, she mentioned the importance of working together to achieve success. The Vietnamese ambassador commended Bangladesh's efforts in combating terrorism and addressing the impacts of climate change, stating that there are many areas where the two countries can learn from each other. Tran Van Khoa also praised Bangladesh's 7.24 percent GDP growth in the previous fiscal year and conveyed best wishes from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Prime Minister Hasina. He also gave Hasina a book about the life of Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, which held memories of the War of Liberation. Khoa mentioned that both countries had acknowledged their respective Wars of Liberation and highlighted the importance of high-level delegations exchanging visits. The newly appointed envoy stated that his goal was to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and continue cooperation in various sectors. The event was attended by PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Senior PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum. Bangladesh plans to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to replenish crops affected by unseasonal downpours in April. 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.