President calls for easing Vietnam's visa process for Bangladeshis

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for further easing Vietnam’s visa process for Bangladeshi businessmen, investors, workers, students and tourists. He mentioned that easing the visa process is necessary to increase contact and partnership among the people of the two countries.

The president made this call during a courtesy meeting with Vietnam’s outgoing Ambassador to Bangladesh Nguyen Manh Cuong at Bangabhaban on Thursday (September 17). Later the president’s press secretary Md. Sarwar Alam informed this.

The president said Vietnam has a friendly relationship of more than five decades with Bangladesh. To further strengthen this relationship and utilize the development potential of the two countries, it is urgent to increase contact among businessmen, investors and ordinary people. For this, the visa process needs to be further eased.

During the meeting, the Vietnamese ambassador congratulated President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on assuming responsibility. At the same time, he extended an invitation to him for a visit to Vietnam on behalf of the President of Vietnam. The president thanked him for the invitation.

The ambassador emphasized the introduction of direct air connectivity between the two countries, implementation of a preferential trade agreement and exchange of high-level visits.

During the meeting, the president recalled his visit to Vietnam in 2003 as a companion of the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. He expressed the hope that the historical friendship between the people of the two countries will be further strengthened.

The president also attached importance to creating opportunities to increase Bangladesh’s exports to make trade between the two countries more balanced and mutually beneficial. He called for increasing the import of various exportable products produced in Bangladesh, including medicines, leather and leather goods, ceramics, bicycles, jute and jute products, into Vietnam.

The president thanked the outgoing ambassador for his successful tenure and contribution to the development of Bangladesh-Vietnam relations. He expressed the hope that he will play a role in strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries even after returning to his country.

At the end of the meeting, the president wished the Vietnamese ambassador good health and all-round well-being. At the same time, he wished peace, progress and prosperity for the people of Vietnam.

Senior officials of the President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam Embassy were present during the meeting.