Bangladesh and Bhutan on Saturday signed two Memoranda of Understanding—one on health cooperation and another on internet connectivity—following a bilateral meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
The first MoU, on the Appointment of Health Workforce, was signed between the Health Services Division of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Health of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
Md Saidur Rahman, Secretary of the Health Services Division, signed the document on behalf of Bangladesh.
The second MoU, concerning the Trade of International Internet Bandwidth and Other Telecommunication Services, was signed between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of Bangladesh.
Abdun Naser Khan, Secretary of the Posts & Telecommunications Division under the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications & Information Technology, signed on behalf of Bangladesh.
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay witnessed the signing ceremony and the exchange of documents, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
The MoU signing followed a tête-à-tête between the Chief Adviser and Prime Minister Tobgay, as well as formal official talks led by the two leaders at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Prime Minister Tobgay arrived in Dhaka earlier in the day on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Chief Adviser Yunus. He was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) around 8:15 a.m. by the Chief Adviser after his Drukair flight landed.
The two leaders held a brief meeting at the airport’s VIP lounge, during which Prime Minister Tobgay inquired about the damages and loss of lives caused by Friday’s earthquake and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Following the meeting, Tobgay was escorted to a ceremonial saluting dais, where he was accorded a 19-gun salute and a guard of honor.
Bangladesh, Bhutan discuss ways to strengthen ties
After the airport ceremony, the Bhutanese Prime Minister travelled to the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. He laid a wreath at the altar and planted a tree on the memorial premises.
In the afternoon, Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser M. Touhid Hossain and Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin called on the Bhutanese Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Tobgay is scheduled to attend an official banquet in his honor in the evening.