The visiting Swedish minister said this when he met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban.

“Olsson Fridh said Sweden is already doing business with Bangladesh in the garment sector. It wants to participate in the energy sector, particularly in producing clean energy,” said PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim while briefing reporters after the meeting.

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Clean energy is the energy that comes from renewable or zero emission sources that do not pollute the environment.

Olsson Fridh congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Bangladesh’s remarkable development under her dynamic leadership.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s development vision, the visiting minister said, “You’ve a very brave vision. Sweden will continue to support Bangladesh in its development efforts.”

He appreciated Bangladesh as a copartner of Sweden in the international scene saying that Sweden and Bangladesh are working together on the climate change issue.

Olsson Fridh pointed out the issue of women empowerment and said Sweden needs more women in the labour sector.

About the corona pandemic, Olsson Fridh lauded Sheikh Hasina for handling the situation successfully in Bangladesh.

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As the Swedish minister wanted to know about Bangladesh’s development, the Prime Minister said her government’s priority is to ensure infrastructural development alongside economic progress, healthcare, education and food security.

She also referred to political stability prevailing in Bangladesh now and briefed him about the government’s social safety net programmes.

About education, the Prime Minister said the enrolment rate at the primary level is almost cent percent in Bangladesh, and the number of girls is more than that of boys.

She also said her government has been working for the empowerment of women despite being a conservative society, and the women here are now participating in every sector.

Hasina recalled that it was the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who had ensured women empowerment with the enactment of laws in Bangladesh.

Mentioning that Bangladesh is setting up 100 special economic zones, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on the expansion of the argo-processing industry.

About the Coronavirus situation, the Prime Minister said all including health workers, the administration, police, the armed forces, BGB as well as her party’s leaders and activists were engaged in the fight against the pandemic.

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PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus and Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexandra Berg Von Linde were present.

On Saturday last, the Sweden’s Minister arrived in Dhaka on a weeklong visit to Bangladesh.

Olsson Fridh is supposed to visit different parts of Bangladesh to see for himself various development and humanitarian assistance programmes funded by Sweden.