Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (October 23, 2023) urged Swiss entrepreneurs to make investments in Bangladesh to create a mini Switzerland in the South Asian country. Swiss businesses can invest in Bangladesh in the special economic zones (SEZs), she said, adding "We will provide lands (in SEZs) and they can make a mini Switzerland here,” she said. The premier made this call when Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Siegfried Renggli paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister’s Office. Read: Some Western powers seek to install a puppet government in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells ALPP meeting Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call on. In response the ambassador said Swiss companies are interested to invest in Bangladesh, said the press secretary. The envoy said the volume of trade between Bangladesh and Switzerland should be increased. He said he will continue to work for further strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation. The envoy appreciated the economic development of Bangladesh under the leadership of PM Hasina in the last one decade. Read: All enjoy equal religious rights in Bangladesh: PM Hasina tells Hindus celebrating Durga Puja He said that Switzerland would work together with Bangladesh to fight the adverse impact of climate change. PM Hasina said the focus of her government is on the development of rural people of Bangladesh. “The backbone of development is middle class people,” she added. “We are taking many programmes to reduce the extreme poverty rate to zero, at least to one percent,” she added. The prime minister mentioned that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a vision to “make Bangladesh as the Switzerland of the East”. She recalled that she was with Bangabandhu when he visited Switzerland at the invitation of Swiss government after undergoing surgery in London. Read: PM mourns death of Patuakhali-1 MP Md Shahjahan Mia Talking about connectivity, she said Bangladesh can be a bridge between the East and the West. So, the government is now developing the airports to this end. "We look forward to transforming Bangladesh-Switzerland bilateral relations into a broad-based partnership," she said.The prime minister assured the ambassador of extending all cooperation in discharging his duty in Dhaka. The Swiss envoy handed over the copy of a letter to Sheikh Hasina, which Bangabandhu sent to the Switzerland government in replying to Swiss recognition to Bangladesh as an independent country. Receiving the letter, the prime minister said that the letter will be displayed in the museum. PM's Principal Secretary M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah And Deputy Head of Swiss Mission in Bangladesh Corinne Henchoz Pignani were present.

Outgoing Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard has said her country will continue to be a reliable partner for Bangladesh in the days ahead. She paid a farewell call to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen Monday (January 16, 2023) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Momen congratulated Nathalie on her successful tenure in Bangladesh and appreciated her efforts to further strengthen and broaden Bangladesh-Switzerland ties. Read more: Switzerland a serious global player, reliable partner of Bangladesh: Ambassador Chuard Highlighting the similarity of the foreign policies of the two countries, the foreign minister recalled Bangabandhu's vision of turning Bangladesh into the "Switzerland of the East." The Swiss ambassador expressed her satisfaction at the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of trade and investment and development cooperation. The foreign minister invited more Swiss investment into Bangladesh, particularly in the advanced manufacturing sector. Read More: Newly appointed Bangladesh envoy Sufiur presents credentials to Swiss president, seeks better relations Also, Momen hoped that as a member of the United Nations Security Council for 2023-24, Switzerland would further contribute to global peace and security. He sought Switzerland's continued support towards the early repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to their country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged Switzerland to increase its investment in Bangladesh for the sake of mutual benefits.

A clutch of diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Saturday highlighted the values set by Bangabandhu and the importance of following his ideology of social rights for all.