Finland is keen to cooperate with Bangladesh in the field of sustainable and renewable energy, said Finnish non-resident ambassador to Bangladesh Ritva Koukku-Ronde on Wednesday.

 The envoy, who resides in New Delhi, said this while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganobhaban.

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PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

The envoy handed over a letter of greetings from Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin to Sheikh Hasina, marking the 50th anniversary of Finland-Bangladesh diplomatic relations.

The Bangladesh Prime Minister also conveyed her greetings to her Finnish counterpart on the occasion.

The Finnish diplomat said the cooperation between Bangladesh and Finnish multinational telecommunications company Nokia can be strengthened.

Ritva said her country will work on the Rohingya issue in the United Nations agencies.

In this context, Hasina said Rohingya refugees have become a big burden for the economy of Bangladesh. The local people are suffering a lot for the Rohingya people, she said.

“We don’t allow any insurgency on the Myanmar border,” she said.

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The PM mentioned that her government signed the Chittagong Hill Tract Treaty in 1997 through bilateral negotiations and 1800 armed cadres surrendered their arms at that time.  

Noting that Bangladesh has set up a good number of hi-tech parks,  Hasina invited the Finnish companies to invest there.

As the impacts of the Ukraine-Russia war came up for discussion, the premier said, “We don’t want war. Our (foreign) policy is friendship to all and malice towards none.”

She said Bangladesh imports fertilizer but now the shipping cost has gone up significantly.

The PM said Bangladesh needs support from developed countries for its development.

She said Bangladesh continues agro research for its food security. No arable land will remain uncultivated to grow more food in the country, she said.

Honorary Consul General of Finland to Bangladesh Muhammed Aziz Khan was present during the meeting.