Acknowledging common risks posed by climate change and environmental challenges, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal Dol Prasad Aryal on Wednesday said environmental risks affecting the Himalayan region and coastal areas are shared concerns for the region and called for greater cooperation in mitigating them.

The Nepalese Speaker appreciated Bangladesh’s remarkable gains in economic growth and infrastructure development noting that Bangladesh’s development experiences could contribute to Nepal’s own development journey.

He made the remarks when Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Md Shafiqur Rahman met him at his office in Kathmandu.

The Speaker said the growing role of sports in bringing the peoples of the two countries closer together by fostering friendship and understanding among the youth.

He further emphasized the importance of tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts in strengthening bilateral relations.

Ambassador Shafiqur congratulated the Speaker on assuming his new role and conveyed warm greetings from the Speaker of Parliament of Bangladesh.

He also thanked the Speaker for Nepal’s support to Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman who has recently been elected President of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session.

During the meeting, the Ambassador recalled the longstanding friendship between Bangladesh and Nepal, underpinned by mutual respect, shared values, and strong people-to-people ties.

Referring to the two countries as close and friendly neighbours, he underlined the vast untapped potential for cooperation in various sectors, according to Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu.

The Ambassador noted the commonality of challenges in development and socio-economic transformation faced by Bangladesh and Nepal and emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation, exchange of expertise, and partnership to address these challenges.

He expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to further expand cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, tourism, education, agriculture, food security, women’s empowerment, youth development, and people-to-people connectivity.

The envoy also highlighted the opportunities for closer collaboration within regional and international forums, including SAARC and BIMSTEC, and stressed the importance of promoting trade, connectivity, and investment across South Asia.

The Nepalese Speaker praised Bangladesh’s continued support in providing scholarships and educational opportunities for Nepali students pursuing medical education and technical studies in Bangladesh.

Reaffirming Nepal’s commitment to advancing bilateral ties, the Speaker assured his full support, through his legislative roles, in further consolidating bilateral cooperation.

He also expressed keen interest in facilitating exchanges between parliamentary committees of the two countries and also utilizing the Parliamentary Friendship Group as a platform for deepening parliamentary cooperation and democratic practices.