Canada's Minister of International Development Meets Foreign Advisor

Canada's Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, paid a courtesy visit to Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor, Md. Touhid Hossain, on Monday (February 10) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The meeting was attended by the Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Canadian government, and members of the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.

Discussions centred on strengthening the partnership between the two nations in key areas such as trade, investment, capacity building, skill development, technical cooperation, agriculture, and people-to-people connections. Minister Hussen commended Bangladesh’s ongoing reform initiatives and reaffirmed Canada's steadfast support for the government under the leadership of Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus.

Acknowledging the significant contributions of the Bangladeshi community in Canada, Minister Hussen expressed a strong commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation. In response, the Foreign Affairs Advisor conveyed gratitude for Canada’s continued support in economic and development efforts.

Both leaders engaged in in-depth discussions on several shared priorities, including trade and investment opportunities, labour reforms, progress in the financial sector, healthcare collaboration, and humanitarian assistance for displaced Rohingya refugees.

The Foreign Affairs Advisor highlighted the immense challenges Bangladesh faces in hosting the Rohingya community and emphasized the urgent need for a sustainable repatriation process. Minister Hussen praised Bangladesh's humanitarian efforts and reiterated Canada's commitment to supporting the Rohingya cause in international forums. The Foreign Affairs Advisor thanked the Canadian government for their ongoing support and encouraged further collaboration at the upcoming international conference on the Rohingya issue later this year.

In a bid to foster trade and investment, both leaders agreed to finalize the Foreign Investment and Protection Act, aiming to create a favourable business environment and attract Canadian investors to explore new opportunities in Bangladesh.