He identified some of the challenges but said that "will not deter" Canada from approaching the decade ahead with confidence on everything that matters for keeping two countries peaceful and prosperous.
High Commissioner Préfontaine was addressing a symposium titled “Bangladesh-Canada Relations: Prognosis for Partnership” held in the city organised by Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cosmos Group, as part of its Ambassador’s Lecture Series explaining why Canada matters to Bangladesh and why Bangladesh matters to Canada.
Trade, investment, humanitarian issues, defence relations, visa-related complexities came up prominently at the discussion apart from regional and global issues with special focus on justice and accountability front over Rohingya issue.
Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Md Shahidul Haque who spoke at the event as the chief guest while Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan delivered the welcome speech at the symposium.
Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and former Foreign Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh’s previous caretaker government chaired the symposium.
The Foreign Secretary termed Bangladesh-Canada relationship a trouble-free one which is growing on all fronts.
He said Bangladesh’s relationship with Canada has been very healthy and multidimensional, and it is growing.
Haque said Bangladesh is a "significant force" in South Asia and explained why Bangladesh matters today amid geopolitical realities and global initiatives like Indo Pacific Strategy, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Eurasia corridor.
“We’re eagerly monitoring the evolving world order both in the context of new alliances – IPS, BRI, Eurasia Corridor construct or space gradually coming into force,” Haque said emphasising global role that does not disintegrate the whole process.
Today, the Foreign Secretary said, Bangladesh matters in terms of demography, market, geopolitical location in the whole new evolving world order.
He said they would like to see Canada bringing in some ‘balanced thinking’ as Canada, in the past, always played a role.
Dominant Aspect of Relationship
The Canadian High Commissioner said he expects a continued growth in commercial relationship.
"Bangladesh’s economic growth and the need to industrialise, build infrastructure and create jobs make for a compelling case and Canada’s business community has started paying attention," he said.
The High Commissioner said the commercial relations could become a dominant aspect of relationship, gradually displacing development cooperation as Canada’s main activity in Bangladesh.
Canadian exports to Bangladesh have exceeded $1 billion dollars in 2019, after just 10 months which is a phenomenal increase and an all-time record.
Bangladesh exports to Canada for January-October already exceed last year’s total, setting a new record.
The High Commissioner said trade should diversify to more sectors and products and that in addition to trade, they can do better in areas such as investment, infrastructure and science and technology collaboration.
Mentioning another factor which will help is the change of Canada’s travel advisory for Bangladesh, he said adding that a few weeks ago the recommendation to avoid non-essential travel to Bangladesh was removed.
The High Commissioner said more Canadians will now be able to visit Bangladesh or come here to work.
He said Canadian businesses “do have concerns” regarding reports of human rights violations, corruption, shrinking space for civil society, lack of freedom of expression. "This is something we're raising with government authorities and with Chambers of Commerce."
Dr Iftekhar said Canada and Bangladesh share the belief that countries must work together to preserve the framework that has given peace, stability and development for so long.
“Our strong and excellent bilateral relations are the testimony to those shared values,” he said adding that the relations with Canada expanded across socio economic issues, trade and investment, health and education, climate change and defence cooperation.
Dr Iftekhar shed light on Canada’s behaviour pattern in the region posing a question whether Bangladesh has lessons to take in this regard.
He said Bangladeshi diaspora finds in Canada a congenial home and mentioned that in today’s world, distance is not an impediment to friendship and cooperation provided there is empathy and understanding as exist between the two nations.
He said Bangladesh matters to Canada because of its democratic and secular constitution and they see Bangladesh as another middle power country with which “we are able to collaborate in multilateral fora to advance a rules-based world order”.
Enayetullah Khan said they remain confident that Bangladesh-Canada relations that began in 1972 will keep expanding in every sphere.
“Today, it spans across a broad spectrum of development cooperation, trade and investment and people to people links,” he added.
Khan mentioned that over 100,000 Bangladeshis who have made Canada their home and have been involved in activities that are rewarding to both countries.
Prevention of Terrorism
On prevention of terrorism, the Canadian High Commissioner said the security of Canada is linked to that of other states and everyone knows, preventing and responding to terrorism or transnational crime requires resources, expertise and partners.
He said Canada will continue to engage constructively with regional, bilateral and multilateral partners in driving positive action on global issues such as strengthening global peace and security operations.
“Bangladesh is a key partner in that approach because of your strategic geopolitical location, your embrace of multilateralism and zero tolerance for terrorism,” said the Canadian envoy.
Freedom of Media
Last summer, the United Kingdom and Canada co-hosted a media freedom conference in London this year and it will be Canada’s turn to hosting a similar conference in 2020.
“Our objective is to bring together governments, journalists, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to discuss effective ways to address threats to media freedom,” said the Canadian High Commissioner.
He said they are confident that the conference will constitute a meaningful step against the troubling deterioration in media freedom that is being witnessed around the world.
“We definitely want a large Bangladesh delegation to attend and hope this will become a new area of focus for the Bangladesh-Canada relationship because a free and vibrant media encourages creativity, inspires compassion, teaches and helps build the citizens of tomorrow,” said the High Commissioner.
He said promoting media freedom is a key component of Canada’s advocacy to strengthen the rules-based international order, democratic resilience, and respect for the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Education
The Canadian envoy said Canada’s popularity is increasing as a “study destination of choice” for Bangladeshi families.
The number of Bangladeshi students who chose to study in Canada in 2018 reached 6,500, an increase of more than 150 percent from 2014, he said.
“This is important because when these students return to Bangladesh, often with work experience and sometimes a Canadian citizenship, they become ideal partners for Canadian companies seeking partners or employees,” said the envoy.
He said the next logical step would be for Canadian universities and colleges to become more present in Bangladesh; not for student recruitment but as partners of Bangladesh universities in academic research, in student exchanges or in delivering a joint curriculum for students who cannot afford to go overseas.
Diplomats stationed in Dhaka and former ambassadors and high commissioners, Cosmos Group Deputy Managing Director Masud Khan and Cosmos Group Vice President Nahar Khan took part in the discussion.