President urges Vietnam to ease visa rules

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday urged Vietnam to simplify visa procedures for Bangladeshi businesspeople, workers, students and tourists to expand people-to-people contacts and bilateral cooperation.

The President made the call when Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Nguyen Manh Cuong paid a farewell courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.

Fakhrul said Bangladesh attached great importance to its longstanding friendship with Vietnam, which has existed for more than five decades.

He said simplifying visa procedures would increase people-to-people contacts and expand opportunities for cooperation and partnership among businesses and investors of the two countries.

Such measures would also help strengthen bilateral relations and tap the development potential of both countries, he said.

During the meeting, the Vietnamese ambassador stressed the importance of establishing direct air connectivity between the two capitals, implementing a preferential trade agreement and exchanging high-level visits.

He also conveyed an invitation from the President of Vietnam to Fakhrul to visit the country. The President thanked him for the invitation.

Recalling his visit to Vietnam in 2003 as part of the entourage of then prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul said he remembered the warm hospitality extended to him.

He expressed hope that the historical friendship between the peoples of the two countries would continue to strengthen bilateral relations.

The President also called for creating opportunities to increase Bangladesh’s exports to Vietnam to make bilateral trade more balanced and mutually beneficial.

He urged Vietnam to increase imports of Bangladeshi pharmaceutical products, leather and leather goods, ceramics, bicycles, jute and jute products, among other exportable items.

Ambassador Nguyen Manh Cuong congratulated Fakhrul on assuming office as President.
Thanking the outgoing ambassador for his successful tenure and contributions to strengthening Bangladesh-Vietnam relations, Fakhrul expressed hope that he would continue to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries after returning home.

The President wished the ambassador good health and wellbeing and conveyed his wishes for continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of Vietnam.

Secretaries to the President’s Office and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy were present at the meeting.