Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan has urged the Dutch business community to explore trade and investment opportunities in Bangladesh for mutual economic benefit.
"Bangladesh no longer likes to remain dependent on foreign aid and assistance... rather, the country now looks forward to achieving trade- and investment-driven growth," he said during an official talk with Netherlands Foreign Minister Bernard Rudolf Bot at The Hague on Wednesday.
The two foreign ministers also discussed the entire gamut of Dutch-Bangla relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, according to a press statement received here yesterday.
Morshed Khan, now on a four-nation Europe tour, said the two countries have emerged as partners in development with focus on socio-economic sectors, notably in water management.
He apprised his Dutch counterpart of Bangladesh's achievements in poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, micro-credit, and self-sufficiency in food and disaster management.
On combating terrorism, the foreign minister mentioned the proactive measures taken by the Bangladesh government to fight terrorism including banning of terrorist groups and the success in capturing the leaders of such militant groups.
Both the sides expressed satisfaction at Bangladesh's sustained economic growth rate, which Morshed Khan termed 'very impressive'.
Khan noted despite many constraints, Bangladesh have many important achievements in socioeconomic sectors, particularly in the implementation of certain specific Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
